Europe is for Everyone: Proud Europeans rally head of EU vote
People across Germany and Europe took to the streets to support the EU ahead of elections set for May 23-26. EU projections indicate that anti-Europeans could win as much as one third of seats in the European Parliament.
One Europe for Everyone
Under the nationwide motto "One Europe for Everyone," people in Berlin marched against nationalism on Sunday. Berlin, which will be the biggest city in the EU after Brexit, is home to large populations of foreign-born individuals. Many come from other EU members, primarily Poland, Italy, France, and Croatia.
Thousands in the streets
Some 3,000 participants had signed up for the Berlin march before it began Sunday morning. Germany elects 96 parliamentarians to send to the European Parliament, the most of any single country in the 751-seat body.
Frankfurt for Europe
Thousands also came out to support the European Union at the seat of the European Central Bank, Frankfurt. Different groups such as environmentalists, political parties, church organizations and women's rights activists took part in the march.
45,000 strong in Cologne
Organizers said some 45,000 participants had joined the One Europe for Everyone march in Cologne. Participants included prominent Social Democrat (SPD) politicians like party leader Andrea Nahles and German Justice Minister Katarina Barley.
Rescue Europe
"Rescue the European peace project," read several signs at the Cologne rally. Many Europeans are worried that nationalist parties like the far-right Alternative for Germany will use electoral success to promote an anti-Europe agenda like the one Brexit supporters spread in the UK.
'Strache, you neo-Nazi'
Thousands of demonstrators in Vienna marched for Europe the day after former-Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) resigned in a corruption scandal. The FPÖ, founded by ex-Nazis in 1956, had been in Austria's ruling coalition since October 2017.
Austrians against racism
One of the main criticism against the coalition government of the FPÖ and the center-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) was a number of measures aimed at curbing non-European immigration. The government also cozied up to numerous far-right parties across Europe, including Fidesz in Hungary and the League in Italy.
Poland in Europe
Rallies also took place in other EU member states such as Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and here in Warsaw. In Poland, where a right-wing nationalist party is in power, and is currently in a legal battle with the European Union over controversial judicial reforms.
From EU president to Polish president?
Current EU Council President Donald Tusk joined the march in his native Poland. A former Polish prime minister, Tusk will end his term as council president in December and is expected to run for the Polish presidency in 2020. Current polls have him and current President Andrzej Duda in a dead heat.