Giessen, Germany – Thousands demonstrated Saturday in Giessen against the founding congress of Generation Germany (GD), the new โyouth organization โคaffiliated โwith the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Police estimated โฃthe protest drew โover 2,000 participants, while organizersโ claimed significantly higher numbers, as demonstratorsโ voiced opposition to the AfD’s ideology and its growing political influence.
The demonstration underscores risingโ concernsโค about the AfD’s increasing popularity and the potential forโฃ radicalization within โคits youth wing. The AfD, currentlyโ theโ strongest oppositionโ partyโข inโ theโ Bundestag withโ 20.8% of the vote from February’s elections, is experiencing a surge in โขsupport, with recent polls indicating gains betweenโ 24 and 27 percent, and some โคsuggesting a โpotentialโ for winning future elections. The formation of GD,โ succeeding the disbanded โ”Young Alternative” (Mladรก alternativa/JA) – previouslyโ labeled a right-wing extremist organizationโค by German intelligence agencies – raises fearsโฃ of a more closely aligned and emboldened โyouth movement.
The “Young Alternative” facedโฃ scrutiny andโค the threat of being banned, prompting the AfD leadership to distance itself earlier โฃthis โyear.โ Germany’s Federal Office for the โProtection of the Constitution (BfV), along with similar authorities โin โfive eastern โขGerman states,โ had designated JA as demonstrably right-wing extremist. GD aims to operate โwith โขcloser ties to the party’sโ central leadership.
The AfD is currently challenging the BfV’s classification ofโ the partyโค itself as right-wing extremist โin court. โThe founding congress of Generation Germany is taking placeโค amid heightened security measures and ongoing debateโ about the AfD’s place in German politics.