Protesters have called for snap elections and tighter immigration controls
Several thousand demonstrators took to the streets of Berlin on Monday, calling for the resignation of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The rally drew participants from across Germany, many of whom traveled to the capital in organized car convoys, according to local media. Organizers said they registered 10,000 attendees, while Berlin police estimated the crowd at around 4,000.
Demonstrators marched with German flags and carried placards bearing slogans such as “Not my chancellor” and “Merz must go.”
Local authorities said the protest remained peaceful and concluded without incident.
The rally was organized by the non-partisan group Project M1llion, which says it brings together a broad coalition of disaffected Germans, including farmers, tradespeople, business owners, logistics workers, laborers, pensioners, and mothers – “all the people who realize that something is terribly wrong here.”
On its website, the movement promotes an 11-point platform that includes the “resignation of the current federal government and immediate new elections.” It also calls for an end to financial support for “any kind of warring party.”
While Ukraine is not mentioned by name in the platform, Germany has provided Kiev with billions of euros in military and financial aid since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022.
The group is also campaigning to roll back a number of Germany’s green policies and to deport undocumented migrants without delay.
Public discontent with Merz appears to be deepening. An INSA poll published by Bild on Saturday found that 77% of Germans are dissatisfied with the chancellor’s performance – the worst rating of his tenure, according to the newspaper. His coalition government with the Social Democratic Party is viewed similarly negatively, with 78% of respondents expressing dissatisfaction.
The survey suggests the frustration extends beyond the opposition, with many CDU/CSU and SPD supporters also unhappy with the government’s performance.
“A government that can’t even convince its remaining voters is doomed to fail. The level of dissatisfaction far exceeds what is typical in the second year of a new federal government’s term,” INSA head Hermann Binkert told Bild.
