Germany: AfD youth wing launch stalled as thousands of protestors swarm Giessen venue

A meeting intended to launch the new youth wing of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was delayed on Saturday after thousands of protestors blocked access to the venue.

From early morning, anti-AfD demonstrators descended on the town of Giessen, with police also deployed in large numbers. One of the protest groups, Resist, said it had blocked multiple routes leading to the meeting and had gathered some 15,000 participants.

The AfD meeting, initially scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time (0900 GMT), had not started as of 11:30 a.m. “Proceedings have not yet started due to the protests,” party spokesman Michael Pfalzgraf told AFP.

When it does take place, attendees are expected to vote on the new youth wing’s leadership, statutes, name, and logo.

AfD and its far-right youth movement

The anti-immigration AfD became Germany’s main opposition party in February’s general election, securing a record 20 percent of the vote. The party hopes to strengthen its foothold in state elections next year, particularly in its eastern strongholds.

The new youth organisation will replace the Junge Alternative (JA), which was disbanded by the AfD earlier this year after being classified as an extremist group by intelligence services. The JA had repeatedly been embroiled in controversy, including racist chants and meetings with neo-Nazi groups.

‘Generation Deutschland’ set to lead

The new youth wing is expected to be called Generation Deutschland or Youth Germania, with members deciding whether to adopt a proposed logo featuring an eagle, a cross, and Germany’s national colours of black, red, and gold.

Jean-Pascal Hohm, a 28-year-old AfD state lawmaker from eastern Germany with longstanding links to far-right and ethno-nationalist groups, is likely to become its first leader.

Inside the hall, stalls offered delegates — overwhelmingly men — merchandise including protein powder, mugs, and T-shirts featuring images of AfD leaders.

Kevin Potthast, a 34-year-old electrician active in local AfD politics, said he attended the meeting because “the country is in a bad way and something has to change. It’s important to get young people involved, as they are the future.”

Counter-protestor Irina Gildt, 28, told AFP that she joined the demonstration to promote diversity and resist intimidation. “That’s worth getting up early for,” she said.

Far-right scrutiny

In May, Germany’s domestic security service classified the AfD as a “right-wing extremist” organisation, prompting calls for a ban. The party has challenged the designation in court.

Observers expect the new youth wing to be at least as radical as the JA. Fabian Virchow of the University of Düsseldorf said: “The leading figures come from a far-right milieu, in which former activists from the Identitarian Movement, fraternities, neo-Nazism and ethno-nationalist groups come together.”

Unlike the JA, which operated relatively independently, its successor will be more closely integrated into the AfD and subject to party disciplinary structures. Stefan Marschall of Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf noted: “This gives the party leadership control over this branch of the organisation and helps it present a more unified front. However, this comes at the cost of the party no longer being able to completely credibly distance itself from the youth organisation should it adopt problematic positions.”

The youth wing is expected to assert its independence from day one. One motion up for vote states: “The new youth organisation should neither blindly follow the parent party nor serve as a lapdog for the federal or state executive committees of the parent party.”