Thousands rally against far-right AfD as German election campaign kicks off
Thousands protested against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) at a rally in Riesa, Saxony, as the party launched its campaign for the February 23 election. The event was delayed due to blockades by demonstrators. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel was nominated as the party's chancellor candidate. She criticized other parties and promised to close borders to undocumented migrants and dismantle wind turbines, calling them "windmills of shame." The mainstream conservative Union bloc leads in polls with about 30 percent support. Its candidate, Friedrich Merz, aims to revitalize the economy and criticized the previous coalition government led by Olaf Scholz, whose party trails in the polls.