Resistance to the AfD is finally growing. The still young “Hand in Hand” network wants to form a long-term alliance against the right.

Across the country, tens of thousands of people took to the streets against the AfD last Sunday. Photo: Annegret Hilse/Reuters

After the demo is before the demo. The initiators of Fridays for Future have also planned it and announce the next big demonstration immediately after this Sunday's meeting: on February 3, the still young alliance “Hand in Hand” will organize the next action.

The alliance, which also includes the FFF and other well-known organizations, wants to take advantage of the events of last week to establish a long-term alliance against the right. For many, the results are… Corrective-Last week's investigation was a wake-up call, says Samira Ghandour, co-initiator of the latest FFF demonstration.

On Wednesday, the research center published information about a secret meeting of AfD and CDU politicians from the “Union of Values”, as well as right-wing extremists who were planning to expel people of immigrant origin. “As a migrant, I know how rights in Germany speak about us. Still, it took this moment of outrage for people to take to the streets.”

She was relieved by the number of people who took to the streets on Sunday across the country and especially in Berlin. The FFF and its alliance partners must now use the anger and momentum of the people to mobilize in the fight against the right. “We are well connected throughout Germany and have shown what we can achieve in 72 hours. We want to contribute our experience to the alliance,” says Ghandour.

“Indivisible” former students active on the network

Lukas Theune, director general of the Republican Lawyers Association, knows that civil society organizations are planning joint demonstrations. Between 2018 and 2022, the association was heavily involved in the “Indivisible” alliance, which organized large demonstrations against the right.

“Indivisible has shown that we have to think together about political issues, because preserving democracy is the basis of all our concerns.” For the current push for action to sustainably transform into a movement, media attention to protests is needed. , but also clear communication of what the “Hand in Hand” alliance wants to achieve, says Theune.

“One lesson I learned from my time at Indivisible is to think more broadly. At Hand in Hand we don't just want to plan the next demonstration in February and then leave, we want to campaign for civil society in the long term,” says Theune.

“Indivisible” itself is already over, but new energy has emerged and many of the former active members are now using it for “Hand in Hand.” He doesn't see attention to its content ceasing any time soon due to the multitude of political challenges. “We are in a time of multiple crises, but that is no reason not to get involved. Instead, we have to work in solidarity and together on all problems,” says the lawyer.

Actions are being planned outside Berlin

The fact that the FFF is committed to fighting the right is an example that there must be a broad-based movement among citizens in order to successfully combat the shift to the right. The mass occupation that the Last Generation is planning in Berlin on the same day in February could be reconciled with the demonstration.

In the coming days the alliance will plan how it can act in the federal states in the election year of 2024. “A lot of people are active, which is fun, but we can always use more people in the alliance to think beyond Berlin,” he says Theune.

Details about the early February demo are still unclear. So far only one event will be held in Berlin. “The FFF has working groups in many districts that we want to mobilize to defend our democracy,” says Samira Ghandour. For them it is not just about taking to the streets, but also about strengthening democracy in private.

“We have always pursued the goal of entering into a personal discourse on climate policy issues.” It is time to also get involved in our own environment and provide information about right-wing ideologies.