Tens of thousands of Germans have held nationwide protests against the government™s economic policies and demanded higher taxes on the rich, Press TV reports.
The largest demonstration took place in the city of Bochum, where 12,000 protesters called for fair wealth distribution and more social fiscal policy. In the capital, Berlin, some 3,000 people marched through the city center.
The rallies were organized by an alliance named Fair Redistribution, which consists of 24 organizations that want to see a redistribution of wealth and an end of poverty in the country.
During the rallies, speakers criticized the government™s current fiscal policies and called for investments in education, transport and healthcare as more and more Germans are struggling financially.
A recent survey has shown that three quarters of Germans support the call for higher taxes on the rich.
According to a recent government report on poverty and wealth, the richest ten percent of the German population own more than half of the country™s wealth.
The nationwide protests come just a week before the country is to hold general elections to pick the members of the 18th Bundestag, the country™s main federal legislative house.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has insisted that the country is experiencing good economic performance as well as low employment rates.
However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has halved its 2013 economic growth forecast for Germany to 0.3 percent.
In addition, a recent report by the German Federal Labor Agency showed the country™s unemployment level rose by 7,000 to 2.943 million in August despite forecasts by economists of a drop of 5,000 claims.
CAH/HJL
Copyright: Press TV