Ayhan Simsek
08 June 2026•Update: 08 June 2026
Several thousand protesters rallied in central Berlin on Monday, calling for Chancellor Friedrich Merz to step down amid nationalist chanting, anti-migration slogans, and displays of far-right symbols.
Police estimated the crowd size at about 4,000 by midday, though organizers had registered for up to 10,000 participants. Authorities said roughly 700 officers were deployed to monitor the demonstration, which remained largely peaceful.
Demonstrators, many waving German flags, held placards reading “Government resign,” “Merz must go,” and “Not my Chancellor.” Others carried signs accusing the government of ignoring people’s concerns and denouncing the government’s reform plans as well as climate-related taxes.
“We are the people,” protesters chanted—a historic slogan that has, in recent years, been co-opted by far-right populist street movements.
The demonstration was organized by an initiative calling itself “Projekt M1llion,” which called for “direct democracy” and promoted an 11-point plan that included demands to halt migration, immediately deport all convicted offenders and undocumented migrants, stop ongoing health reforms, and scrap the mandatory public broadcasting fee.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a conservative who leads a coalition government with the center-left Social Democrats, has publicly rejected calls for snap elections. He argued that political instability would come at too high a cost for Europe’s largest economy.
However, recent polling reveals deep public dissatisfaction with the chancellor's performance. In a Forsa poll conducted between May 26 and June 1, 85% of respondents said they were dissatisfied with Merz's work so far, while only 13% expressed approval.
