Climate Demonstrations Sweep Germany Ahead of Elections
Berlin, Germany – Just a week before pivotal federal elections, approximately 8,000 people took to the streets of Berlin in a resounding call for intensified climate action, according to police estimates. Organizers of the event, spearheaded by the climate activism group Fridays for Future (FFF), claimed a turnout of 10,000 participants.
Responding to an urgent appeal by FFF, demonstrators gathered at the iconic Brandenburg Gate, bearing banners that emblazoned the message: "Go Vote." Their mission was clear: to demand immediate and decisive action against the climate crisis and to safeguard democracy.
The massive turnout in Berlin was mirrored by sizeable demonstrations across the country, including in Hamburg, Munich, and cities throughout the industrial Ruhr region. Activists planned a multitude of events in major metropolises and smaller municipalities alike.
In a passionate speech delivered in Berlin, FFF spokesperson Luisa Neubauer declared, "If the Munich Security Conference and the German Intelligence Service acknowledge that significant security risks in Europe stem from climate change, then it is utterly irresponsible to discuss security without addressing the climate crisis."
Neubauer singled out the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, led by Friedrich Merz, for their dismissive attitude towards the environmental crisis. "If Merz has no qualms in downplaying the greatest challenge of our time, then we, as activists, will stand together all the more resolutely," she asserted.
FFF had earlier released an open letter expressing deep dissatisfaction with the lack of attention paid to climate change in the ongoing election campaign. "No political party can justify conducting an election without presenting concrete plans for tackling the most pressing issue of our era," the letter stated pointedly. The appeal was endorsed by numerous celebrities, including actress and director Karoline Herfurth and rapper Ski Aggu.
Earlier this year, FFF set forth a series of demands for Germany. These included achieving climate neutrality and phasing out natural gas by 2035, introducing a wealth tax on the ultra-wealthy and fossil fuel corporations, and creating 300,000 new jobs in the green economy sector each year.
The widespread demonstrations underscored the growing urgency of climate action in Germany and beyond. With wildfires ravaging vast tracts of land, droughts exacerbating food insecurity, and sea levels rising at an alarming pace, citizens are demanding that their elected representatives prioritize the health of the planet for generations to come.
