An overwhelming majority of Germans believe that far-right movements endanger democracy in the country, a fresh poll revealed on Friday, following anti-immigrant protests in the city of Chemnitz in Saxony.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st August, 2018) An overwhelming majority of Germans believe that far-right movements endanger democracy in the country, a fresh poll revealed on Friday, following anti-immigrant protests in the city of Chemnitz in Saxony.
Since Sunday, Chemnitz has witnessed a wave of violent anti-immigrant protests after a 35-year-old German man was fatally stabbed by two young immigrants who were promptly arrested on suspicions of murder.
According to the poll, conducted by the ZDF broadcaster, 76 percent of the respondents believe that the far-right activists pose a "big or very big" threat to the democracy. Only 23 percent have a different opinion.
However, the poll revealed, 65 percent of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party supporters taking part in the survey do not share the view of the majority.
Over a half of the respondents (52 percent) believe that the authorities and law enforcement do not do enough to curb the far-right sentiments among the public.
Starting 2015, Germany took in several million refugees as part of what German Chancellor Angela Merkel called an "open-door policy" amid the European migration crisis. Ever since, multiple reports have attributed responsibility for gruesome murders and rape cases to immigrants and asylum-seekers living in Germany, provoking a vigorous public outcry over Merkel's immigration policy and igniting a surge of far-right and nationalistic sentiments.
