AfD Launches New Youth Group Amidst Clashes and Protests in Germany
Germany’s far-right option for Germany (AfD) formally established its new youth association, Generation germany, on saturday, a move shadowed by widespread protests and confrontations with police in the city of Giessen. The launch underscores the party’s continued efforts to cultivate a youth base despite facing scrutiny over its extremist tendencies.
The event was disrupted by demonstrators blocking roads, causing a two-hour delay before the proceedings could begin. Approximately 5,000 law enforcement officers were deployed to maintain order as between 25,000 and 30,000 protesters, according to the regional government’s interior minister, Roman Poseck, voiced strong opposition to the AfD’s policies and ideology.
Police were forced to use pepper spray and water cannons after protesters ignored repeated requests to disperse, with some demonstrators throwing stones at officers. Reports indicate that 10 to 15 police officers sustained minor injuries during the clashes. Despite the unrest, many individuals participated in peaceful demonstrations throughout the city.
“What is being done out there – dear left-wingers, dear extremists, you need to look at yourselves – is something that is deeply undemocratic,” stated a party co-leader, Alice Weidel, in response to the protests. She also claimed that an AfD lawmaker was attacked, though police provided limited details regarding the incident.
The formation of Generation Germany marks a strategic shift for the AfD, following the dissolution of its previous youth wing, the Young Alternative, at the end of March. The party aims to exert greater control over its youth movement, with the new organization open to all members under the age of 36. This restructuring comes after the Young Alternative was labeled a right-wing extremist group by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, a designation the AfD legally challenged.
A Cologne court previously ruled that the core tenet of the Young Alternative was the preservation of an ethnically defined German people, excluding those deemed “ethnically foreign.” The court also cited the group’s agitation against migrants and asylum-seekers, as well as its connections to extremist organizations like the Identitarian Movement.
Acknowledging past shortcomings,AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla emphasized the need for improved oversight. “Some benefited from the young, from their ability to mobilize, but didn’t have the well-being and future of this youth sufficiently in sight,” he said.”We should have taken more care of the young new hopes in our party; it will be different in the future.”
The AfD, which entered the national parliament in 2017 amid the influx of migrants, has consistently capitalized on public discontent. Despite refusing to collaborate with mainstream parties, the AfD secured over 20% of the vote in February’s national election, establishing itself as the largest opposition force. The party’s success is attributed,in part,to growing dissatisfaction with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition government.
Jean-Pascal Hohm, a 28-year-old state lawmaker from Brandenburg, was elected unopposed as the leader of Generation Germany. He previously served as the chairman of the Young alternative in his home state.However, Hohm is currently identified as a right-wing extremist by the regional branch of the domestic intelligence agency, a label he disputes as politically motivated.
Kevin Dorow, a delegate from northern germany, echoed the sentiment that the new organization woudl continue the work of its predecessor. “The new formation means above all continuing what the Young Alternative started – being a training ground, attracting young people … and above all bringing them into politics for the good of the party,” he explained.
The AfD presents itself as an anti-establishment force, tapping into a broader trend of declining trust in conventional political institutions. With regional elections scheduled in five of Germany’s 16 states next year, including two in the eastern region where the party enjoys its strongest support, the AfD is aiming to expand its influence.”we will get the majority of mandates; we will provide our first governor,” Weidel confidently predicted.
geir Moulson reported from Berlin. Martin Meissner contributed to this report from Giessen.
This story has been corrected to show that the regional interior minister’s assessment of the number of demonstrators was 25,000-30,000, not 25,000-35,000.
