Hundreds protest at Germany’s NPD congress

Hundreds of people have been demonstrating against Germany’s far-right National Democrat Party which is holding its first congress since its victory in regional elections in September. Berlin authorities had tried to ban the meeting from taking place on security grounds but the High Court disagreed and allowed the conference to take place in the northwestern Reinickendorf district.

Outside, some 400 demonstrators chanted “Nazis out” after politicians from most mainstream parties gave speeches. Going into the meeting, NPD party leader Udo Voigt rejected any affiliation with far-right extremists and told reporters that his party is simply concerned with trying to solve the problems facing Germany today.

Although it is a fringe party at federal level, the NPD has made inroads at state level and now holds seats in two state parliaments. The group is currently under investigation for misappropriating close to a million euros of public funding and some analysts believe that could spell its demise.

Copyright © 2012 euronews