Janice R. Andrews
Munich witnessed one of Germany’s largest recent demonstrations as 250,000 people gathered to protest against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The demonstration, called “Munich is Multicolour,” took place at the Oktoberfest grounds, with organizers reporting even higher numbers of around 320,000 participants.
Under the banner “Democracy needs you,” protesters expressed opposition to any political cooperation with the AfD, particularly criticizing the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for its recent stance on immigration policy. The CDU, currently leading in polls, faced scrutiny for seeking AfD support on immigration legislation, challenging Germany’s longstanding practice of avoiding far-right collaboration.
The Munich protest was part of a broader wave of demonstrations across Germany, including 24,000 protesters in Hanover and a recent 160,000-person march in Berlin. The timing is significant, coming just two weeks before the February 23 parliamentary elections, where the AfD is polling at 20-22%.
The political tension has intensified following a recent knife attack involving an Afghan suspect, which has amplified immigration debates. While CDU leader Friedrich Merz maintains his party won’t form a government with the AfD, his emphasis on stricter immigration policies has drawn criticism for potentially validating far-right positions.
Demonstrator Joachim Hageboeck, 64, captured the mood of many protesters, stating, “We have to stop fascism from creeping into Germany’s politics.”
