RIESA, Germany — A gathering of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party faced significant opposition on Saturday as the party and several other major political groups begin their campaigns for the upcoming national election next month.

The two-day assembly is taking place in Riesa, located in the eastern region of Saxony, an area known for its strong support for the AfD. During this convention, co-leader Alice Weidel is set to be formally nominated as the party’s candidate for chancellor, while the party also aims to finalize their political platform.

A heavy police presence has been deployed in anticipation of protests, with thousands of demonstrators expected to gather outside the venue. Reports indicate that law enforcement partially dismantled a sit-in blockade at a busy intersection, and there were instances of fireworks being directed at police during another protest, as reported by German news outlets.

Recent polling positions the AfD in a strong second place ahead of the election, showing about 20% support. Despite this, Weidel’s prospects for taking over as Germany’s leader remain slim, primarily because other political parties have declared they will not collaborate with the AfD.

Leading the polls is the mainstream conservative Union bloc, which has around 30% support, making their candidate, Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner for the chancellorship.

On the other hand, Center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz is working to mount a comeback, yet his Social Democrats appear to be struggling, with support levels between 14-17%. Scholz currently heads a minority government after the collapse of his previous three-party coalition last November, a situation exacerbated by a public feud that resulted in him firing his finance minister amid debates over strategies to revive Germany’s sluggish economy. Notably, the upcoming election is now slated to occur seven months earlier than initially planned.