Joachim Paul: Exclusion from the mayoral election shocks Ludwigshafen!

Joachim Paul: Exclusion from the mayoral election shocks Ludwigshafen!

A decision by the Koblenz Higher Administrative Court is causing a stir in the political landscape of Ludwigshafen. The AfD politician Joachim Paul is not allowed to run for the office of mayor. This has now been confirmed after his urgent application against the decision of the Neustadt Administrative Court was rejected. The reason for the rejection is worrying evidence of Pau's proximity to right-wing extremist groups and his alleged inability to stand up for the free, democratic basic order. The city of Ludwigshafen also asked Paul to take down his election posters within two weeks.

The court's reasoning glosses over the upcoming election, pointing to the importance of post-election audit procedures. The OVG's decision could potentially be used as a precedent for future candidacies of similar provenance, as constitutional lawyer Kyrill-Alexander Schwarz suggests.

Interconnections with right-wing extremist concepts

A recurring point of view in Paul's case is his connection to Martin Sellner and his controversial "remigration concept". The AfD, in which Paul works as a member of the state parliament, is exposed to increased surveillance by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution due to these connections. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution also classified Paul as problematic in its report because his views and positions are close to Sellner's concept, which has been considered unconstitutional since 2024.

At its core, Sellner's concept aims to exert social pressure to adapt on “non-assimilated citizens” and provides for tailor-made laws. Court rulings clearly state that such a political objective calls into question the legal equality of all citizens.

Further developments in the region

But there is also news beyond the political stage. In Cologne, a 30-year-old woman launched a petition calling for sexually motivated images to be made a criminal offence. This proposal is made by NRW Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach who plans to raise these concerns at the Conference of Justice Ministers.

In further legal news, the Darmstadt public prosecutor's office is charging the rapper with an arrest warrant for negligent bodily harm and hit-and-run. Such developments show that politics and the judiciary in the region continue to be closely linked and that citizens are increasingly making their voices heard, be it in politics or in the judiciary.