- First Congress of Grandmothers Against the Right - with a demo
Four weeks ahead of the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony, several hundred people took to the streets in Erfurt to protest for the protection of democracy. The demonstration was organized by the "Grandmas Against the Right" movement, which has been fighting against right-wing populist and extremist trends, antisemitism, racism, and misogyny for several years. The protesters marched through the state capital from the state parliament through the city center to the state chancellery. According to the police, the demonstration remained peaceful.
The "Grandmas Against the Right" groups, active throughout Germany, are meeting in Erfurt for their first federal congress since Saturday. The main goals are to strengthen the network of local groups, exchange expertise, and develop new ideas, a spokesperson for the organizers said. Thuringia's parliamentary president, Birgit Pommer (Left), praised the women's courage and civil courage on the occasion of the meeting. "They strengthen democratic values and promote unity in the country. And they do this with invaluable life experience," she said in a statement.
The civil society group, which sees itself as independent of parties, was founded in Germany at the beginning of 2018 and has grown steadily since then, the spokesperson said. Since the large nationwide demonstrations for democracy at the beginning of the year, 100 new groups have been added.
The "Grandmas Against the Right" group met in Erfurt for their first federal congress, discussing strategies to strengthen their network and develop new ideas within the European Parliament's jurisdiction. Thuringia's parliamentary president, recognizing their contributions, commended their courage and dedication to upholding democratic values.
