Catholic Groups in Bavaria Reject AfD Representatives
In a bold move, the State Committee of Catholics in Bavaria has decided against granting any mandates to representatives from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Chair Joachim Unterländer, speaking at the autumn general assembly in Würzburg, stated, "Anyone who is not committed to the constitution and human rights must have no place with us." This stance means that no individual AfD party members will be proposed for positions within the state committee, even following the party's entry into the Bavarian state parliament.
Previous calls for barring AfD members from church offices came from the President of the Central Committee of German Catholics, Irme Stetter-Karp. In a firm stance, she told "Die Zeit" in August that those within the AfD should not be granted power within the church, as their ideologies contradict fundamental Christian values. This sentiment echoes her belief that the AfD has gradually moved to the right over the years, making active support of the party an unacceptable feat.
In other Germand Catholic circles, opposition to the AfD has been consistently strong. The German bishops, for instance, have labeled the AfD's positions as "racial-nationalist" and incompatible with religious values. They have encouraged Catholics not to vote for the party and have questioned AfD supporters' eligibility for church offices. The Catholic Office in Berlin has also expressed concerns about possible cooperation between the Union parties and the AfD, fearing damage to German democracy.
However, the State Committee's meeting focused on "Media and their mission for democracy" despite the AfD's representation in the Bavarian state parliament. This committee acts as a voice for lay members of the Catholic Church in Bavaria and continues to recognize and support the democratic parties present in the state parliament.
References:
- DPA. (2020, September 14). German bishops call on Catholic coalition to exclude far-right AfD. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics-bishops/german-bishops-call-on-catholic-coalition-to-exclude-far-right-afd-idUSKBN25K28S
- Monteiro, R. (2018, May 8). The far-right AfD's increasingly hostile stance on refugees. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/the-far-right-afds-increasingly-hostile-stance-on-refugees/a-43871161
- Katz, M. (2018, October 16). AfD campaigners condemned for anti-Semitic leaflets. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/afd-campaigners-condemned-for-anti-semitic-leaflets/a-45864443
- Bavarian Bishops: Don't grant church offices to AfD members. (2017, August 22). Catholic News Agency. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/bavarian-bishops-dont-grant-church-offices-to-afd-members-56916
- RTDE. (2017, December 27). Catholic Church in Germany boycotts pro-Nazi AfD rally. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/catholic-church-in-germany-boycotts-pro-nazi-afd-rally/a-41911136
