An AFDP politician disputes his ousting from a church post.

Gatherings or Social Events - An AFDP politician disputes his ousting from a church post.

Christoph Schaufert, the representative of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saarland, has once again appealed to Rome over his dismissal from a Catholic church committee in the Diocese of Trier. He stated that as per protocol, his second complaint has been forwarded to Bishop Stephan Ackermann for forwarding to the higher religious authorities.

Bishop Ackermann had previously dismissed Schaufert's first complaint earlier, and Schaufert is keen on understanding the reasons behind his removal. He feels that being an AfD member shouldn't be the only reason for his expulsion from the committee, calling it "not understandable and unacceptable" because there were no specific charges directly against him.

Schaufert was removed from his position in the parish council of St. Mary's Church in Neunkirchen in April this year, owing to his political affiliation with the AfD. Bishop Ackermann had justified the decision by stating that the exercise of representative or political mandates, such as Schaufert's in the state parliament for the AfD, is incompatible with leading roles in the church community. Ackermann had even cited the declaration by the German bishops in February 2024 that "nationalism and Christianity are incompatible" to support his decision.

This was the first such case in the entire country. Schaufert, a 55-year-old archaeologist and vice-chairman of the AfD in the Saarland state parliament, has held several municipal offices for the party. He had been a member of the church committee since 2016. The Diocese of Trier caters to around 1.2 million Catholics across Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

Read also:

1. The German Press Agency reported that Schaufert's second appeal regarding his removal from the church committee in Trier was sent to Bishop Ackermann for further action.
2. The Bishop of Neunkirchen's Diocese, Stephan Ackermann, is from the Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland region, where the AfD politician, Schaufert, was ejected from St. Mary's Church council.
3. Several political parties in Germany have criticized the Bishop's decision to dismiss Schaufert, citing the principle of religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
4. Ackermann's decision to oust Schaufert has sparked a heated debate within the Church, with some members questioning the compatibility of nationalism and Christianity, as stated in the German bishops' declaration from 2024.
5. Despite the controversy, Schaufert remains committed to his political beliefs and represents the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Saarland state parliament, advocating for his rights as a church member and a politician.
6. The Bishop's dismissal of Schaufert has drawn attention to the complex relationship between politics, religion, and individual rights in Germany, fostering discussions about the balance between these elements in a democratic society.

• Tough return to normality in snow and ice
• Steinmeier joined a moment of silence - a legal battle over an AfD protest.
• German national soccer team on their way to participate in the European Championship qualifying matches.
• The flooding has lessened, but the aftermath of mud remains.