Parliament in Europe has yet to pass the proposed resolution.
German Politician Resigns After Drawing Swastika on Ballot
Daniel Born MdL, a German politician of the SPD, has resigned from his position as Vice President of the Baden-Württemberg Landtag following a controversy that erupted in July 2025. The controversy stemmed from an incident where Born drew a swastika next to the name of an AfD candidate during a secret ballot in the Landtag.
The motivation behind Born's actions was a reaction to the AfD, which he considers a right-wing extremist party that despises democracy. The immediate trigger was distress caused by an AfD female speaker’s derogatory remarks about transgender children, which deeply upset him.
Born emphasized that he did not intend to accuse the AfD candidate personally but wanted to show that any vote for the AfD equates to supporting hate and agitation from the right. Despite this, the act was considered a serious mistake. Consequently, he resigned both from his vice presidency and from the SPD parliamentary group.
The incident sparked debate in Baden-Württemberg’s political scene, with Born’s explanation highlighting his commitment to democracy, diversity, and solidarity as a queer Social Democrat and parliamentarian. However, the AfD has called for Born’s resignation and public apology, viewing his actions as a case of victim-blaming.
The AfD parliamentary group in the Landtag of Baden-Württemberg, led by Anton Baron MdL, has been particularly vocal in their demands. Baron MdL has called for an apology from Born towards the AfD faction and specifically towards MP Bernhard Eisenhut, who was the target of graffiti related to the incident.
On July 29, 2025, Baron MdL called for Born to resign from his post and even from his mandate due to his actions. The AfD believes a man like Daniel Born MdL has no place in any political party. The press spokesperson for the AfD, Josef Walter, made these statements.
Born is no longer part of any faction, and the mailing address for the AfD parliamentary group in the Landtag of Baden-Württemberg, c/o Josef Walter, is Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 3, 70173 Stuttgart. The visiting address for the AfD parliamentary group in the Landtag of Baden-Württemberg is House of Parliament: U32/305, Urbanstraße 32, 70182 Stuttgart.
For those wishing to contact Josef Walter, the press spokesperson for the AfD parliamentary group in the Landtag of Baden-Württemberg, his email address is [email protected], and his contact telephone number is +49 711 2063-5042.
This incident provides a stark reminder of the polarized political climate in Germany and the sensitive nature of actions and words in the public sphere.
***
References:
- Born resigns after drawing swastika on ballot
- Daniel Born: "Ich habe nur protestiert" - SPD-Politiker zeichnet Hakenkreuz auf Wahlzettel
- Daniel Born: "Ich habe nur protestiert" - SPD-Politiker zeichnet Hakenkreuz auf Wahlzettel
The resignation of Daniel Born MdL, a German politician, from his position as Vice President of the Baden-Württemberg Landtag falls under the category of policy-and-legislation, as it directly affects the functioning of the regional parliament.
The controversy surrounding Born's drawing of a swastika on a ballot, which was a reaction to the AfD's political stance, highlights the key role that politics plays in such incidents, contributing to general-news coverage.
