Germany: "Democracy needs support, especially when it is under threat" (FC St. Pauli)

"Democracy needs support, especially when it is under threat. United against the rise of the far right!" 1. FC St. Pauli (2.Bundesliga) said on 7 September 2026.

The German club were reacting to the very high score recorded by the far-right Alternative for Germany party (“Alternative für Deutschland”, AfD), which won 43.8% of the vote in the regional election in Saxony-Anhalt (2.1 million inhabitants) on Sunday 6 September.

While the party had not, as of 8 September, formed a coalition to govern the state, the Hamburg-based club called for support for several organisations: "Electoral successes by the far right are putting increasing pressure on civil society. The federal government and the states must therefore guarantee sustainable funding, independent support structures and concrete protection measures. We would particularly like to recognise the people of Saxony-Anhalt who continue their work and stand up for democracy and an open society at local level. We call for targeted support for this commitment, particularly through donations."

St. Pauli, who announced their departure from…