Berlin police said 3,000 people were expected, but 80,000 turned up to fill the streets and march on the CDU party headquarters to protest against its chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz's collaboration with the far-right extremist AFD party. Meanwhile, Merz himself was heard on television doubling down on his position to continue collaborating with the far-right extremist AFD party even after the upcoming elections, saying "Yes, I would do it again!".