Thousands demonstrate against the AfD in Saxony

Several thousand people took to the streets in Saxony against the AfD at the weekend. The rallies were part of Germany-wide protests by the “Time for Action” movement. In Leipzig and Dresden, participants expressed their concern about a shift to the right in Germany. The reason was the clear victory of the AfD in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt a week ago.

After thousands gathered in Leipzig on Saturday for a rally on the market in front of the Old Town Hall, a demonstration on Theaterplatz in Dresden was very popular on Sunday.

A dpa reporter on site in Dresden estimated the number of participants at 3,000 to 4,000. The police did not provide any information. The organizers saw the number of participants in the upper four-digit range. The organizers in Leipzig expected more than 5,000 participants.

Fears of the impact of the AfD election results

It is important to make people an offer right now, said the organizer of the Dresden demo, Matthias Lüth, to the German Press Agency. The AfD speaks of remigration. “We are simply afraid that people who are already disadvantaged will be even more disadvantaged, that they will not be able to lead a good life in Saxony-Anhalt and then perhaps not in the entire Federal Republic or in Europe.” If the AfD governs, the state can no longer be relied upon.

Parties should create an opportunity to participate

In Lüth's opinion, the other parties now have to create an offer to participate. “We don’t just have people in the Bundestag or the state parliament who make politics. All the people who are here on this square do politics every day. And we just have to bring that together.” The parties have to open up in order to talk to people. “The time to act begins now.”

Fears of the dismantling of democracy under the AfD

“The election results from last weekend shocked me and there will be an election here in Saxony in 2029. "That means I want to show that civil society is large and colorful, even here in Saxony," said 46-year-old Babette, describing her motivation. She fears that the AfD is trying to put democracy on feet of clay. “I imagine what it can do to schools when it comes to integration, that the freedom of research and teaching at universities will be undermined.”

Like several other participants in the demo, the 46-year-old spoke out in favor of banning the AfD. “There is actually nothing to lose if we initiate this process. Quite the opposite".

She also doesn't believe in the idea that the AfD should come to power in order to disenchant itself. “If we look at Hungary or what happened in Poland: I don't want to spend 16 years fighting against democratic conditions prevailing here again. “That’s just too long for me,” she said, referring to the second term in government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Dresden tries out a new demo format: discussion in small groups

In Dresden, a new format was tried out at the rally. After a few statements from the stage, the participants continued to discuss in small groups and sat down on the theater square - under the leadership of around 100 moderators. The organizers wanted to not only develop new ideas with each other, but also to network. Numerous civil society initiatives presented themselves at a “market of democracy”.

Leipzig Verdi official accuses AfD of dividing society

“It is the voters of the AfD who ensured that a right-wing nationalist, anti-democratic and anti-constitutional party won the elections in Saxony-Anhalt,” explained former pastor Christian Wolff. This must get all Democrats on the scene. Verdi official Tobias Baumann accused the AfD of dividing society.

Call: Don't leave discourse on the streets to the AfD

“We call on all people in Leipzig to take part in the discourse on the streets and not to leave it to the AfD,” explained co-organizer Irena Rudolph-Kokot for the “Leipzig takes a seat” action network. It's about showing solidarity with the people and civil society in Saxony-Anhalt and preventing the AfD from achieving further election victories.

The “Leipzig Takes Place” action network announced that it would continue to critically monitor political developments in the coming weeks and months and work together with other actors in urban society to promote social justice, solidarity and an open society.