Ahead of AfD Party Conference in Erfurt: Alliances Intensify Door-to-Door Campaign and Mobilization

Erfurt – 04.07.2026: In Thuringia’s state capital, local alliances and antifascist groups have significantly expanded their door-to-door campaign against the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Under the label Widersetzen and in regional coalitions, activists have for weeks been seeking direct conversations at apartment doors, handing out leaflets and inviting people to neighborhood meetings. According to the initiatives, the aim is to reach undecided voters, correct misinformation and advocate for democratic fundamental rights. Organizers report that they drew on experiences from previous election campaigns and civil-society alliances and documented their efforts on local channels.

The timing is deliberate: this weekend the AfD federal party conference is taking place in Erfurt. In the run-up, various groups had already called for large-scale demonstrations and blockade actions around the exhibition grounds. The police expect high turnout and have prepared wide-ranging cordons, travel restrictions and de-escalation concepts. According to the operations leadership, tens of thousands have already participated in protests. There were isolated scuffles and property damage; otherwise security authorities describe the events as predominantly peaceful. Organizers interpret the participation as a signal of broad rejection of the AfD.

Substantively, the door-to-door work is aimed at the AfD’s strategic advance into municipal councils and state parliaments. Critics point to the monitoring of large parts of the party by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutz) and to positions they classify as anti-democratic and far-right. The AfD and some conservative commentators criticize the campaigns as an attempt at intimidation. The initiatives counter that outreach conversations are legitimate means of political contestation, as long as they are non-violent and transparent.

For the authorities, the political conflict represents a double challenge: on the one hand, freedom of assembly and safety must be ensured; on the other hand, disruptions to arrivals and departures as well as to the exhibition’s operations must be minimized. The city is providing information about detours, closed areas and meeting points. Residents are asked to plan for additional travel time. Observers see in the combination of targeted neighborhood work and mass protests a sign of how much the dispute over the country’s political direction now affects everyday life.

Over the weekend further rallies, vigils and information booths are scheduled to take place. The initiatives announce they will continue their door-to-door actions beyond the party conference. They are betting that direct conversations in residential areas can defuse debates and organize dissent – beyond social media and campaign events. Whether the mobilization will measurably influence the political balance of power in Thuringia remains open; what is certain is that Erfurt has become the focal point of a nationwide fundamental debate.