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Mass Protests Erupt in Germany Over AfD's Alleged Deportation Plan

As the far-right party gains momentum in polls, German politicians consider constitutional ban amid widespread public outcry.

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More than 1,500 people demonstrate against the AfD and right-wing extremism in Schwerin, Germany, on January 16.
Far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke, the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) regional leader for the state of Thuringia, at an AfD demonstration in Erfurt, Germany, on October 28.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, center right, attend a rally in Potsdam Sunday.

Overview

  • Germany is experiencing widespread protests against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, following revelations of a secret meeting where a mass deportation plan for asylum seekers and German citizens of foreign origin was discussed.
  • The AfD, which denies the plans are part of their policy, is currently polling above 30% in the eastern states of Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg, where regional elections are due this year.
  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have both attended protests, with Scholz condemning the alleged plans and drawing parallels with Nazi racial ideology.
  • Despite the AfD's denial, one representative openly supported the mass deportation plan on social media, leading to comparisons with the Nazi era.
  • Discussions have begun among German politicians about the possibility of calling on the constitutional court to ban the AfD, though this process could take years and risks backfiring.