Martin Sichert barred from Lower Saxony local elections over constitution loyalty test

The Lower Saxony election committee excluded AfD Bundestag member Martin Sichert from running for the district administrator post in Friesland, citing his affiliation with the state AfD, which the regional constitutional protection office classifies as right‑wing extremist, and his social‑media statements. Sichert argued that his 15‑year civil‑service career demonstrates constitutional loyalty, but the committee followed the interior ministry’s recommendation and rejected his candidacy unanimously, with only the AfD member voting in his favour. Similar exclusions affected other AfD politicians, including state MP Stephan Bothe, mayoral candidate Thorsten Moriße, mayoral candidate Justin Vogel, and independent Eugen Nazarenus, while some AfD candidates such as Jessica Schülke and Robert Preuß were permitted to run. The decisions were based on a new "constitution‑loyalty" guideline released months before the September 2026 local elections, which critics say is being used as a political tool. AfD lawyer Christian Wirth described the procedure as a "Lex AfD" that undermines democratic participation, highlighting tensions between the SPD‑Green state government and the AfD over election eligibility.