Politician from Copenhagen files a lawsuit challenging the exclusion from Ludwigshafen's mayoral election
In the political landscape of Rhineland-Palatinate, a significant event is unfolding as Joachim Paul, a regional deputy and AfD candidate, is challenging his exclusion from the mayoral election in Ludwigshafen.
According to the State Association of Rhineland-Palatinate, social and political diversity has increased in recent years. However, this diversity does not extend to the mayoral election in Ludwigshafen, where Joachim Paul has been excluded from the race.
The electoral committee, chaired by local officials, made this decision based on a report from the Verfassungsschutz (German domestic intelligence), which alleged that Paul lacked the necessary loyalty to Germany’s constitutional order. This exclusion was executed administratively, without a judicial ruling, following an eleven-page dossier from the Verfassungsschutz delivered to the regional Interior Ministry.
The legal approach allows for the exclusion of a politician if they are deemed to lack constitutional loyalty. This determination can come from intelligence reports, and the electoral committee can act on this basis to exclude a candidate. It's important to note that no criminal conviction or judicial decision is strictly necessary; perceived political disloyalty or extremist connections can suffice.
In response to the exclusion, the AfD state association in Rhineland-Palatinate has filed a challenge in the Administrative Court in Neustadt an der Weinstraße. The challenge is based on the belief that the exclusion was not justified under the strict legal conditions outlined by the State Association.
The mayoral election in Ludwigshafen is scheduled for September 21, but the exclusion of Joachim Paul has not been directly related to this date. The city's election committee did not allow Paul to run due to doubts about his loyalty to the constitution, as indicated by public statements that raised doubts about his stance on the free and democratic basic order.
As the legal proceedings continue, the case serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between upholding constitutional loyalty and preserving political diversity in elections.
[1] Source: State Association of Rhineland-Palatinate's official statement on the matter.
The policy-and-legislation regarding the exclusion of a candidate from an election in Rhineland-Palatinate allows for the exclusion of a politician if they are deemed to lack constitutional loyalty, with intelligence reports serving as a basis for this determination. The AfD state association in Rhineland-Palatinate is currently challenging Joachim Paul's exclusion from the mayoral election in Ludwigshafen in the Administrative Court in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, arguing that the exclusion was not justified under the strict legal conditions outlined by the State Association.
