Ensuring Secure Elections for Erik-OB-Candidates Protects Democracy - Proposal to Boost Count of EU Citizens within the EU
In a significant decision, the election committee of the city of Ludwigshafen has barred Joachim Paul, a far-right German politician from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), from standing as a candidate for mayor in the upcoming us election scheduled for September 21, 2025. The decision was made due to concerns about Paul's loyalty to the constitution.
Hendrik Hering, the President of Rhineland-Palatinate's state parliament, has supported the committee's decision, emphasising the importance of clarifying a candidate's constitutional loyalty before the election to protect democracy. According to Hering, it is the legal obligation of the election committee to review the loyalty to the constitution of election candidates.
Voters are not able to review the loyalty to the constitution of the candidates themselves. This task falls to the responsible election committee. Hering has stated that it is inconceivable for the administration to only check after the election whether the candidate was constitutional and eligible.
Joachim Paul legally challenged this decision but was unsuccessful. His complaint remained unsuccessful at the Constitutional Court of Rhineland-Palatinate in Koblenz, and the Federal Constitutional Court did not accept his complaint for decision and declared it inadmissible. The Higher Administrative Court of Koblenz found that 'reasonable doubts' could be derived from Paul's support for so-called remigration plans that were not in line with the free democratic basic order.
The police are currently investigating a series of attacks against members of the election committee on social media, triggered by Paul's exclusion. Hering has called for everyone to be vigilant in their role in protecting democracy.
Stricter criteria are applied to civil servants and elected officials in local government due to their role in administration and exercise of sovereign powers. Hering emphasizes that mayors, council members, and mayors must be reviewed for their loyalty to the constitution before their election. He further stated that a democracy only works if we have a constitutional public service.
Hering can rely on the scientific service of the state parliament for his assessment of the candidates' constitutional loyalty. The election committee meets in public and makes a decision on the candidate's constitutional loyalty. The assessment of the election committee can be reviewed judicially after the election.
This decision has sparked a debate about the role of far-right politicians in local government and the importance of upholding the constitution. Hering has emphasized the need for vigilance and the importance of protecting democracy.
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