Protests held against AfD convention in Erfurt

On July 4, 2026, approximately 15,000 protesters gathered in Erfurt, Germany, to demonstrate against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The protest coincided with the start of a two-day AfD convention held ahead of regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Demonstrators, including union members, civil society groups, and left-wing politicians, obstructed roads and highways leading to the convention center. Authorities deployed significant police reinforcements from across the country to manage the event. Georg Becker, a spokesperson for the protest group Widersetzen, cited opposition to rising fascism as the reason for the gathering. The AfD party, led by co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, is currently polling ahead of traditional conservative parties in these regions. The party aims to achieve state-level power for the first time through the upcoming elections, which they believe will pave the way for national success.