Hundreds of thousands protest far right in Germany

FRANCE 24 English

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00:00Shame on you, Mr Merz.

00:02That's the message these protesters have for Friedrich Merz,

00:05the man who leads the main CDU party and who could be Germany's next leader.

00:10In Munich, more than 200,000 people took to the streets,

00:14protesting against both the extreme right

00:16and what they view as Merz's attempts to gain their support.

00:20With two weeks to go before the general election,

00:23voters are not giving up.

00:25They don't want the anti-immigrant extreme right alternative for Germany

00:29or AFD party in government.

00:34I am really worried about things and I simply want to do something

00:37to stand up for a colourful coexistence,

00:39that people can live together, be happy with each other

00:42and that we don't continue to be negative and against minorities,

00:46but instead appreciate there is a diverse society

00:48and that we can also benefit from it.

00:57The massive crowds and anti-racist placards are also on display

01:01here in Bremen and other German cities.

01:03The movement has been gaining momentum ever since Merz,

01:06who had until then been the favourite in the polls,

01:09pushed through a non-binding motion on tougher immigration rules.

01:13He relied on votes from the AFD.

01:15He insisted there had been no direct collaboration

01:18with the extreme right party.

01:20Faced with mounting protests,

01:22his coalition is trying to reassure voters.

01:25At a rally in Nuremberg on Saturday,

01:27Merz reaffirmed he would not betray his country

01:30by working with the AFD.

01:34They want to find their salvation and peace on Putin's lap.

01:38That is not our policy.

01:41And for these reasons alone there will be no form of cooperation

01:45and even government participation or toleration of any form whatsoever.

01:53Despite the protests and the CDU's perceived involvement

01:56with the extreme right,

01:58it doesn't appear to have dented their chances in the upcoming election.

02:01The party are still leading in the polls.

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