As of: January 19, 2024, 1:52 p.m
Comments
Press
Split
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 across the country, and churches and city leaders are also showing their edge and calling for protests against the right-wing, some of them sharply.
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.” Events or key moments cause 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.
“Long-term commitment to demonstrations is more strenuous than mobilizing for short-term, one-point actions,” said Wehner.
This was shown by the protests against the Pegida movement as well as the rallies by the climate movement Fridays for Future.
“On the one hand, it is good that a civil society is committed,” said Wehner.
“But I haven’t convinced every potential AfD voter to vote for another party on election Sunday.”
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 get involved.” On Thursday, the SPD announced a non-partisan “Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights”.
The AfD parliamentary group, however, sharply criticized Wehner: “This is supposed to be a protest against a democratically legitimized political party because it takes up actual protests,” said AfD parliamentary group spokesman for domestic policy Daniel Lindenschmid.
Actual and legitimate protest aims to change politics.
“This has been going completely wrong in this country for decades,” said Lindenschmid.
Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) supported the demonstrators: "Democracy thrives on trust and the commitment of the many," he said on Friday.
“That's why it's an encouraging sign that so many are taking to the streets these days to actively support our democracy.
This is a strong signal from the middle of society.”
My news
One of the most expensive hotels in Baden-Württemberglesen is located here
This place once set the cold record in Baden-Württemberg
The 7 best restaurants in Mannheim – according to the rankings
Wolfgang Grupp talks about his new day at work at Trigema after the handover
This market square in Baden-Württemberg is one of the most beautiful in Germany
Seven pop stars from Baden-Württemberg read
Many protests also in the southwest
Numerous people are also expected to take part in protests against the right-wing in the southwest at the weekend.
Further demonstrations are planned.
In Heidelberg, an alliance is calling for a rally on Saturday; according to the city, 3,000 people are expected on Friday.
Around 1,000 participants are registered in Karlsruhe, and according to the city, there will be “far more than 1,000 participants” in Pforzheim and 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 in other federal states are also taking part in the rallies.
The mayors also have a clear opinion
Dozens of city leaders from Baden-Württemberg called for protests on Friday with clear appeals.
Right-wing extremist movements are trying to undermine the basic democratic order in Germany, according to a statement from 30 mayors from the region.
Everyone is now called upon to raise their voices for a democratic future for the country.
In another appeal, young mayors positioned themselves: “It’s time to show your colors.
No matter our opinion or background, it's about more than that - it's about defending our democracy.
It is our democracy, our freedom and our country,” says the appeal from a cross-party network of young mayors.
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