Thousands rally against Germany's AfD as party holds annual conference in Erfurt

Thousands of people gathered in the eastern German city of Erfurt on Saturday to protest against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as the party began its two-day annual conference ahead of crucial regional elections.

Protesters blocked roads leading to the convention venue, while police, including reinforcements from across Germany, were deployed to maintain order. Authorities estimated that around 15,000 people participated in demonstrations across the city.

Protesters block roads to conference venue

Demonstrators from trade unions, civil society organisations and left-wing parties staged road blockades outside the convention centre where the AfD conference was being held. Under the watch of riot police, protesters sat across roads and highways to disrupt access to the venue.

"We want to make it clear that we simply won't tolerate this, that fascism is on the rise here in Germany," Georg Becker, spokesperson for the anti-AfD alliance Widersetzen ("Resist"), said.

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AfD eyes gains in upcoming state elections

The conference comes ahead of elections in the eastern states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where the AfD hopes to become the largest party and potentially take power at the state level for the first time.

Party co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are expected to be re-elected during the conference.

Founded more than a decade ago, the AfD has gained support with its nationalist agenda, calls for stricter immigration policies and criticism of successive governments amid prolonged economic stagnation.

Party leads opinion polls

Recent opinion polls place the AfD at around 29 percent support nationally, ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU/CSU alliance at approximately 22 percent. The party also recorded strong gains in regional elections in western Germany earlier this year.

Its strongest support remains concentrated in eastern Germany, where many voters have expressed dissatisfaction with traditional political parties.

In Saxony-Anhalt, the latest polling puts the AfD at 41 percent, well ahead of the Christian Democrats on 23 percent. The party is also aiming to emerge as the largest force in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Mainstream parties maintain 'firewall'

The AfD's opponents accuse the party of promoting racist policies and views that are incompatible with Germany's democratic values, arguing that its rise could threaten the country's constitutional order.

Germany's mainstream political parties have continued to uphold a "firewall" policy, refusing to cooperate with the AfD in coalition governments.

AfD leaders reject allegations that the party opposes Germany's democratic system. Earlier this year, the party secured a court injunction requiring Germany's domestic intelligence service to suspend its previous classification of the AfD as an "extremist" organisation.