Election between the top two finishers from the primary or other earlier rounds. - A right-wing extremist candidate lost in the district council election held in Thuringia.
The far-right candidate Tommy Frenck suffered a defeat in the race for the district administration in Hildburghausen, South Thuringia. Once the votes from all 127 polling stations were counted, Frenck secured 30.5% of the total, while his opponent, Sven Gregor from the Free Voter party, received an impressive 69.5%. Gregor's win was decisive - approximately one-third of the voters in the Hildburghausen district chose the controversial Frenck in the runoff election.
Frenck garnered nationwide attention due to his organization of numerous neo-Nazi concerts. These events drew attendees from various European right-wing extremist circles. Moreover, his electoral alliance, "Alliance for Hildburghausen's Future," became a prominent neo-Nazi group in the region, as per the constabulary's 2022 report.
Experts believe Frenck should not have been eligible to contest the election. Nevertheless, the district election committee gave the green light.
In the previous round of the district administration election, held two weeks back, Frenck managed to advance to the runoff. At that time, there was no AfD (Alternative for Germany) candidate in the race.
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- Despite losing in the district administrator election, right-wing extremist Tommy Frenck gained significant support in Erfurt's municipalities.
- The district administrator election in Thuringia saw a run-off between Sven Gregor and the controversial Frenck, with Gregor eventually emerging as the winner.
- EU officials expressed concern over the participation of right-wing extremist candidates in local elections across Germany, including the district of Hildburghausen.
- Counting of votes in the district administrator election revealed a narrow margin between Frenck and his opponent, but Gregor ultimately clinched the victory.
- Sven Gregor's win in the district administrator election reaffirmed the stronghold of moderate political parties in Thuringia, despites the presence of Frenck and his extremist supporters.
- The district office in Hildburghausen was thrust into the spotlight due to the controversial nature of the district administrator election and the involvement of right-wing extremist candidates.
- In response to the growing influence of right-wing extremists in local elections, the German government has proposed stricter screening processes for candidates with controversial pasts.
- Despite the loss, Frenck's right-wing extremist group gained recognition within the regional political scene, with many citing the controversial nature of the district administrator election as a sign of their growing influence.
