On Sunday, February 2nd, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Berlin to pressure the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and prevent any potential post-election pact with the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) after the general elections at the end of February.
Despite organizers claiming that 200,000 people attended the demonstration, the police estimated the crowd at just over 80,000. Protesters marched from the Bundestag to the CDU headquarters, demanding that the party, led by Friedrich Merz, distance itself from Alice Weidel’s AfD.
The CDU headquarters had to be evacuated on Thursday, January 30th, following a bomb threat, just one day after the Bundestag approved tightening the country’s asylum policy.
On January 29th, the German parliament narrowly approved a resolution proposed by the CDU/CSU alliance to tighten the country’s migration policy. The measure passed with 348 votes in favor and 345 against, supported by the AfD and the parliamentary group of the left-wing nationalist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). The Greens and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) firmly opposed the initiative.
The weekend protest reflects growing fears of an agreement between the CDU and the AfD that could sideline the Social Democrats, the Greens, and the far-left forces that have led the country into an unprecedented economic crisis.
The German Left has accused the CDU of breaking the post-war consensus against collaborating with the ‘far right.’ On February 2nd, the Green Party’s economy minister and chancellor candidate, Robert Habeck, warned at an event in Cologne that if the CDU continues moving closer to the AfD, Germany could face polarization similar to that of the United States.
“Now is a decisive moment, not only for these elections but for the history of the republic,” Habeck stated.
Criticism also came from within the CDU itself. Former Chancellor Angela Merkel stepped in to pressure her party and reaffirm her rejection of any collaboration with the AfD.
“We cannot afford to break the democratic consensus that has protected us for decades,” Merkel emphasized.
Meanwhile, Merz defended himself, arguing that he had not actively sought the AfD’s support and that “a correct decision does not become wrong just because the populist right-wing party agrees with it.”
The campaign against the AfD has intensified in recent months. The Left and the political establishment have repeatedly attempted to ban the party, a move that is blatantly unconstitutional and contrary to the democratic principles they publicly advocate.
AfD, now nearly tied with the CDU in the polls, has gained support from influential figures. On Saturday, February 1, Elon Musk, yet again, expressed his backing for the party on X:
There is also speculation about potential support from U.S. President Donald Trump, further increasing concerns among Germany’s political elites.
The rise of the AfD poses a real challenge to Germany’s status quo. The Left, which proclaims itself a defender of democracy and respect for all opinions, has demonstrated a tendency to tolerate only the views that suit its agenda.
In an attempt to curb the rise of the populist party, it has resorted to exclusionary strategies and media pressure, revealing a double standard when it comes to accepting the popular will. As the elections draw closer, the political battle in Germany intensifies, with an establishment increasingly concerned about the country’s direction should the AfD continue to gain voter support.
