Tens of thousands march across Germany to demand AfD ban after state election win

September 13, 2026 at 03:37 AM2 min

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About 150,000 demonstrators turned out in roughly 20 German cities on Saturday to demand a ban on the far-right Alternative for Germany. The protests followed the AfD's landslide win in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, where it took nearly 44 percent of the vote. The party is now in talks to form a government, which would make it the first far-right party to lead a German state since 1945.

Key Facts

About 150,000 people demonstrated in roughly 20 German cities on Saturday, including Berlin, Hamburg and Munich.
The AfD won nearly 44 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, far ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU at roughly 17 percent.
The AfD is projected to win 39 of 83 seats in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, three short of a majority.
Campact put turnouts at about 25,000 in Hamburg and 12,000 in Munich.
The AfD held its own counter-rally in Berlin, attended by Kristin Brinker, the party's lead candidate for Berlin's upcoming regional election.

Nationwide Protests

Protesters in about 20 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, demanded the banning of the Alternative for Germany. The rallies were organised by Pruef, a campaign group pushing for a ban on the AfD. Protesters carried signs reading “Ban the AfD now” and “Democracy needs no alternatives.” Christoph Bautz, head of Campact, said a broad cross-section of civil society was taking to the streets to prevent enemies of the constitution from gaining government power. According to police, several thousand more joined separate demonstrations in Berlin.

AfD Electoral Surge

The AfD took nearly 44 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, far ahead of the CDU's roughly 17 percent. The party fell just short of an outright majority and is now in talks with other parties to try to form a government. AfD state leader Ulrich Siegmund called the result historic and said the people had made it clear they want political change. The AfD is projected to win 39 of 83 seats in the state parliament, three short of a majority. All mainstream parties have so far refused to govern with the AfD under a longstanding policy known as the “firewall.”

Calls for Ban

The AfD's growing strength has deeply unsettled many Germans, given the country's history and its commitment to never repeating it. The unease has fuelled growing calls to ban the AfD altogether. A ban would be legally difficult in Germany, and Chancellor Merz has been reluctant to pursue it.