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People stand on the Old Market during the “Potsdam defends itself” demonstrations.
© Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
In Baden-Württemberg, too, demonstrators want to protect democracy, which they see threatened by the AfD and actors of the so-called New Right.
Is this just a snapshot?
Or a protest that could also change citizens' voting behavior?
Stuttgart - According to organizers' estimates, thousands of people will take to the streets against right-wing extremism in cities in Baden-Württemberg this weekend.
Tens of thousands are expected at demonstrations nationwide.
In view of the upcoming three state elections in East Germany, the election in the USA and the local elections, the protest could be just a beginning, according to Freiburg political expert Michael Wehner.
“We could not only be facing a hot election year, but also a hot year of demonstrations,” said the head of the Freiburg branch of the State Center for Civic Education.
“If people have the feeling that democracy is developing in the wrong direction, they protest and raise their voices.” Symbolic events or key moments lead people to take to the streets.
One such moment: the report by the media company Correctiv about a meeting with right-wing radicals in Potsdam.
It led to rallies against the right, often with significantly more participants than expected.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Cologne, among other places.
The calls are supported in many places by large social alliances, in which, in addition to the SPD, the Greens and the Left, as well as churches and trade unions, cultural institutions and football clubs also take part.
Can the protests change anything?
It is unclear whether the protests will have an impact on the political mood.
That is by no means certain, said political expert Wehner.
“Long-term commitment to demonstrations is more strenuous than mobilizing for short-term, one-point actions.” This was shown by the protests against the Pegida movement as well as the rallies by the climate movement Fridays for Future.
It is a good sign for democracy when people protest like they are currently doing and don't leave the streets to others, said Wehner.
But he was also skeptical as to whether the protests could change anything in the political situation: “It is unclear whether the mobilization on the streets will also lead to a change in voting behavior.
On the one hand, it is good that a civil society is taking a stand.
But I haven’t convinced every potential AfD voter to vote for another party on election Sunday.”
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But in order to establish a professional movement permanently, there must be organizers, alliances must be formed and the infrastructure and personnel must be made available, said Wehner.
“It takes a long-term willingness to commit.”
On Thursday, the SPD announced a non-partisan “Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights”.
According to SPD party and parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch, more than 130 associations, clubs, organizations and democratic parties have been called upon to do so.
The first meeting of the alliance is scheduled to take place next Thursday in Stuttgart.
Many protests also in the southwest
For days, numerous people have been demonstrating against the right in the southwest.
Further demonstrations are planned.
In Heidelberg, an alliance is calling for a rally on Saturday. According to the city, around 3,000 people are expected on Friday.
Around 1,600 participants are registered in Karlsruhe, according to the city, well over 1,000 are expected in Pforzheim, and around 1,000 participants in Ulm.
According to a city spokesman, demonstrations against the right will also be taking place in Stuttgart on Saturday and Sunday.
Under the motto “All together against the AfD”, the “Stuttgart against the Right” alliance is calling people to the streets on Saturday.
Around 1,000 people were registered.
On Sunday, 700 people are expected in the state capital, and Science Minister Petra Olschowski (Greens) will also speak there, according to her house.
Around 10,000 participants against right-wing extremism and neo-Nazi networks are expected in Hamburg on Friday (3:30 p.m.).
Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) and the provisional council chairwoman of the Evangelical Church, Kirsten Fehrs, have been announced as speakers.
Heads of government also take part
Heads of government in other federal states are also taking part in the rallies.
Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Left) is expected in Jena on Friday (4 p.m.).
His Lower Saxony counterpart Stephan Weil (SPD) will speak in Hanover on Saturday (2 p.m.).
Bremen's mayor Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD) wants to take part in the “Loud against the right” demonstration on Sunday (12 p.m.).
Other larger demonstrations are scheduled to take place in Kiel and Bielefeld (both Friday), in Braunschweig, Dortmund and Erfurt (all Saturday) and in Munich and Dresden (both Sunday), among others.
10,000 to 20,000 participants are expected in Munich alone.
The media company “Correctiv” reported on a previously unknown meeting between right-wing radicals and politicians from the AfD and CDU in a Potsdam villa on November 25th.
The former head of the right-wing extremist Identitarian movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, said he spoke about “remigration” there.
When right-wing extremists use the term, they usually mean that large numbers of people of foreign origin should leave the country - even under duress.
dpa