In Germany, thousands gathered to oppose the far-right AfD Congress Far right news

Thousands of delegates tried to block her from attending the meeting where she was selected as the AfD’s chancellor candidate in next month’s election.

Thousands of protesters chanting “No Nazis” gathered in the German city of Risa, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party held a key meeting to approve co-leader Alice Weidel as chancellor candidate in next month’s snap election.

The meeting, which drew 600-odd delegates on Saturday, took place two hours late after police cleared thousands of protesters in the AfD stronghold in the eastern state of Saxony.

The organizers of the protest, who said that 12,000 people from different parts of the country were present at the rally, said that the police tried to disperse the demonstrators by hitting them in groups.

Maria Schmitt, the spokesperson of the organizers of the protest, said: “Today we are protecting the right of people to live in peace without being deported or attacked.

“We are all making it clear: Risa is not a peaceful place for fascism,” she said.

Police said about 8,000 protesters gathered outside the city’s convention center. Earlier in the day, a spokesman said there were “no serious disturbances” but one road leading to Risa was blocked by protesters.

As the congress took place in the convention center, Weidel congratulated her party colleagues for “defying the left-wing crowd” while party co-leader Tino Krupala accused the protesters of being “anti-democratic and terrorists”.

‘immigration’

Analysts say Weidel, confirmed this week by tech billionaire Elon Musk in an X Live chat, is unlikely to become Germany’s leader in the February 23 election.

Polls put the far-right party in second place, attracting 20 percent of voters’ support, while other parties refused to work with it.

As delegates at the two-day AfD meeting finalize the party’s election programme, one amendment would see the party pursue a policy of “expatriation”, meaning a broad campaign to expel foreigners from Germany.

The party leadership’s plan to replace the youth wing of the Young Alternative, which has been classified as an extremist group by the intelligence service, has also sparked controversy.

The draft version of the manifesto also includes a pledge to leave the euro and reverse Germany’s withdrawal from nuclear power.

‘let’s fight’

Frederik Merz, the candidate of the main conservative opposition Union group, who leads the polls with around 30 percent, is currently the favorite to become the next chancellor.

The alliance is focusing on boosting Germany’s stagnant economy and reducing irregular immigration.

At a news conference in Hamburg, Merz focused on “fundamental change” after the fall of unpopular and divisive centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November.

Scholes’ coalition government fell apart after he sacked his finance minister amid a row over how to revive the economy.

Scholes admitted on Saturday that mistakes had been made but said it was time to look to the future.

At a party meeting in Berlin, he told delegates to “fight” and officially confirmed his candidacy.