Demonstration at the call of the far-right AfD party against the government’s energy policy and inflation, on October 8, 2022 in Berlin (AFP/John MACDOUGALL)
Several thousand people demonstrated on Saturday in the center of Berlin at the call of the far-right AfD party against the energy policy of the government of Olaf Scholz and inflation, AFP journalists noted.
Under the slogan “Energy security and protection against inflation – our country first”, around 8,000 demonstrators according to the police marched near the Bundestag and the Brandenburg Gate in the center of the capital.
The far-right party thus intends to surf on the growing unpopularity of the government of Olaf Scholz, faced with rising energy prices and threats of shortages with the end of Russian gas and oil supplies.
An imposing police force framed the procession, which marched near several counter-demonstrations which brought together some 1,400 anti-racist activists, according to the police.
Demonstration at the call of the far-right AfD party against the government’s energy policy and inflation, on October 8, 2022 in Berlin (AFP/John MACDOUGALL)
The demonstrators, some of whom waved German, Russian or black, white and red flags, a symbol of the German far right, chanted “We are the people” or “Habeck must leave”, a reference to the Ecologist Minister of the Economy, Robert Habeck, in charge of energy issues.
Demonstrators held up signs “No to armament and war” to protest against Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, or “I want Russian gas and oil”.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has risen in the polls in recent weeks, to around 15%, after suffering between 2020 and mid-2022 from its internal divisions and its opposition to anti-Covid measures.
The right-wing extremist movement, particularly active in the regions of the former GDR, is also making itself heard with, in particular, demonstrations every Monday evening in several cities of the country. She thus tries to reproduce the success of marches organized from 2014 by the Islamophobic movement Pegida.
© 2022 AFP
Did you like this article ? Share it with your friends with the buttons below.
