Berlin: more than 160,000 “honest people” rose up against any collaboration with the extreme right

From the Bundestag to the headquarters of the CDU (Christian Democrat Union), between 160,000 and 250,000 people (according to the police and the organizers, demonstrated on Sunday in Berlin, to say no to any collaboration with the extreme right. From anticipated legislative elections, CDU curators will vote on Wednesday with the far right.

Unheard of since the Second World War. Until this week, in this country, marked by Nazism, the traditional parties refused all cooperation at the national level with the far-right party AFD (alternative für Deutschland) under what they call “firewall “(Brandmauer), a” health cord “to stem any brown resurgence.

The boss of the CDU “betrayed his word”

“Shame on You Cdu” (shame on you cdu) or “Merz sans heart”, could we read on some of the signs brandished by the participants, in reference to the decision this week of the CDU of Friedrich Merz, S ‘ Press AFD’s voices in an attempt to pass a text to the House of Deputies to limit immigration.

Even if Friedrich Merz refutes any idea of ​​government coalition at the national level with AFD, “He has already betrayed his word last week, how to trust him? Said Matina Beibel, demonstrator in Berlin, told AFP. On her sign, she replaced the “D” of the CDU party, with the word “discredited”.

Until now favorite polls to succeed Olaf Scholz to the Chancellery, Friedrich Merz “wants to pierce the health cord with a great blow against the right -wing extremists”, denounced the left NGO Campact which called for the “revolt Honest people ”, in reference to a solidarity movement after a criminal fire at the Düsseldorf synagogue in 2000.

“Friday, I was very nervous, I spent the day with friends watching the debates at the Bundestag. To see the CDU speak live then the AFD applaud and vice versa, it is frightening, “says Öz,” queer activist “of 33 years. “Today, we must show that there are more of us than they defend democracy,” adds the young woman, reassured by the crowds of the Berliners.

Rare CDU deputy to have rebelled against the sketch of rapprochement with AFD and not to follow the party’s voting instruction, Michel Friedman spoke before the demonstrators to recall “the promise” inscribed in the Basic Law German: “The dignity of the human being is inviolable”. “The hatred party (AFD, editor’s note) is a fundamental problem of this country,” said the elected official who left the CDU.

“A story that should never be written again”

Already on Saturday, more than 220,000 people demonstrated in the major cities of the country, such as Hamburg, Leipzig, Cologne or Stuttgart, according to figures collected by the public television channel.

“Germany is writing a story that should never be written again,” said climate protection activist Luisa Neubauer, on a platform in Hamburg, in front of a crowd of 65,000 people, according to The police.

In Neu-Isenburg, in the suburbs of Frankfurt, around 9,000 people protested in front of the building where an AFD meeting stood. “No to racism, to hatred, to fascism, not to the Nazis,” could be read on one of the signs held by the demonstrators retained by the metal barriers surrounding the building.