Uwe Detert, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate for mayor of Lage, has been blocked from standing in September’s election following concerns regarding his allegiance to the German Constitution and alleged links to the anti-constitutional Reichsbürger movement, according to Brussels Signal.
The Lage electoral committee voted 6-4 on 16 July against Detert’s eligibility, prompting the party to announce an immediate appeal.
The exclusion followed formal objections raised by The Greens party group on Lage’s city council. In a 6 July letter to the city’s chief executive Thorsten Paulussen, The Greens urged examination of Detert’s “personal suitability,” citing the German Civil Servants Status Act which requires appointees to uphold the free democratic basic order enshrined in Germany’s Basic Law.
From the perspective of our parliamentary group, there are demonstrably serious doubts regarding Mr Detert’s personal suitability.
The Greens substantiated their objections by referencing Detert’s social media activity, which allegedly revealed “an ideological worldview that systematically contradicts the core values of the free democratic basic order — including the dissemination of antisemitic conspiracy theories, adherence to Reichsbürger ideology, anti-democratic rhetoric and hate speech targeting queer communities.”
They further accused him of challenging the legitimacy of post-war Germany and its constitutional framework. The letter also cited a federal government report classifying the AfD as “right-wing extremist” based on findings by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).
Paulussen, who chaired the electoral committee, reportedly advocated applying the presumption of innocence absent definitive evidence. Nevertheless, the committee ruled against Detert’s candidacy.
This local decision coincides with Rhineland-Palatinate state’s move to bar members of extremist organisations from public service, with the AfD expected to feature on its prohibited list.
The district electoral committee will issue a binding ruling on Detert’s exclusion in coming days, determining the final candidate list for September’s mayoral election. The case highlights escalating tensions over the AfD’s participation in German institutional politics amid verified concerns about its adherence to democratic principles.
