Nazi crisis? Dresden votes to better protect minorities

BERLIN – The German city of Dresden has passed a resolution aimed at strengthening democracy and protecting minorities amid growing concern about far-right extremism.

German news agency dpa reported Friday that city counsellors passed a resolution this week with the headline “Nazi crisis?” which warned that anti-democratic and extremist views and even violence were becoming increasingly apparent in Dresden.

Dresden is home to the anti-migrant group PEGIDA and the far-right Alternative for Germany party received more than 17% of the vote in city council elections this year.

The motion, which was passed Wednesday, was supported by members of the Left Party, the environmentalist Greens, the centre-left Social Democrats, the pro-business Free Democrats and a satirical party known simply as The Party.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centre-right Christian Democrats voted against the motion.