Cautious applause in Sonneberg
Stuhlmann sworn in as the first AfD district administrator
08/23/2023, 5:48 p.m
Now it’s official: Robert Stuhlmann is the first AfD politician to take on the post of district administrator. While the election of the 50-year-old made waves nationwide, there are now flowers and applause in Sonneberg – but not from all sides. First of all, the CDU wants to “disenchant” the district administrator.
Germany’s first AfD district administrator, Robert Stuhlmann, has been sworn in in Sonneberg, Thuringia. The 50-year-old took his oath of office with great media interest. He was elected at the end of June. When taking his oath of office, Stuhlmann swore to uphold the Basic Law and the Constitution of the Free State as well as all applicable laws and to fulfill his official duties conscientiously and impartially. He declined interview requests before the meeting.
After the swearing-in ceremony, Stuhlmann received flowers and applause from the audience and from some members of parliament. However, many council members did not applaud. District council member Manfred Franke, who took the oath of office from Stuhlmann, spoke out in favor of open, fair and democratic cooperation in the district council.
AfD lacks a majority in the district council
The election of the AfD politician to the top municipal office caused a nationwide stir and outrage. The Thuringian AfD is classified and observed by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a secured right-wing extremist. After the district election, in addition to a debate on how to deal with the AfD, there were calls for a boycott against the southern Thuringian region and local companies on social media. CDU district parliamentary group leader Christian Tanzmeier criticized the media coverage after the election of armchair man. The region is characterized by culture, tradition and cosmopolitanism. It must now be returned to the actual work.
After the district administrator had been sworn in, the district council passed a resolution tabled by the CDU, in which the defamation of voters was rejected and the district administrator asked to exercise his office neutrally. A democratic election result should be accepted, the resolution said “for a democratic and lovable district of Sonneberg”. The general manager of the German District Association, Hans-Günter Henneke, sees a challenge for the six-year term of office of armchair man. Decisions in the district council would have to be majority-capable and the AfD currently does not have a majority in the district council, Henneke said before the meeting in Sonneberg.
CDU: “We want to disenchant the district administrator”
In addition to the district administrator, the Sonneberg district council has 40 members. The strongest faction with ten representatives is the CDU, the AfD has nine MPs. Beate Meißner, member of the CDU state parliament and district council, said: “We want to disenchant the district administrator. The issues that he brought up in the election campaign cannot be implemented here.”
In the election campaign, Stuhlmann focused primarily on federal issues and scored points with criticism of the heating law and high inflation. In accordance with Thuringia’s municipal regulations, Stuhlmann has been in office since the beginning of July. After his election, the state administration office checked the AfD politician’s loyalty to the constitution. The examination showed that the lawyer could remain district administrator.
In the neighboring state of Saxony-Anhalt, AfD politician Hannes Loth was sworn in as full-time mayor on Wednesday evening in the small town of Raguhn-Jeßnitz. Although AfD mayors have already been elected in Thuringia and Brandenburg, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities is not aware of any full-time mayors, but the organization does not keep statistics on this.