Mass Protest in Berlin Against Conservative Ties to Far-Right
BERLIN: On Sunday, tens of thousands of people gathered in Berlin to protest Germany’s conservative party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and its recent shift toward the far right.
According to police, at least 20,000 demonstrators had assembled outside the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, shortly after the protest began at 3:45 pm (14:45 GMT). However, with protesters arriving from various directions, carrying banners and signs condemning the CDU’s actions, the total number of participants was expected to rise significantly.
The protest was sparked by the CDU’s attempts to gain the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for an anti-immigration bill in parliament, which took place just weeks before a snap federal election.
Since the end of World War II, German political parties have adhered to an informal agreement not to engage with far-right groups at the national level.
