Thousands across Germany protest against CDU and AfD and far-right policy

Tens of thousands took to the streets of several German cities on Saturday – demonstrating against cooperation between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Alternative for Germany (AfD) parties. 

Protests drew large crowds in the cities of Aaachen, Augsburg, Braunschweig, Bremen, Cologne, Essen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Leipzig and a number of smaller cities. 

Further rallies are planned for Sunday, with the largest expected in Berlin. 

Many protesters focused on CDU candidate for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz – who proposed two anti-immigration bills to the German parliament last week. 

Merz — the front-runner in Germany’s election next month — broke a long-standing pledge to not cooperate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Wednesday, when he accepted its votes in order to pass his migration proposal. 

The AfD party is classified by German authorities as a “suspected” far-right extremist organisation. 

Europe’s largest economy was shaken after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed late last year in a dispute over how to revitalise amid stagnation. 

The nation’s subsequent general election is scheduled for February 23.