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Rico Badenschier (left, SPD), the mayor of Schwerin, has to go to the run-off election on June 18 against Leif-Erik Holm, the state chairman of the AfD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Photo: Jens Büttner; Wolfgang Kumm / dpa
The CDU hesitated so long with its election recommendation for the second round of the mayoral election in Schwerin on June 18 that the International Auschwitz Committee came on the scene. The firewall of all democratic parties against the AfD must be at all political levels of the country, demanded Executive Vice President Christoph Heubner. The reason: Former radio presenter Leif-Erik Holm is the first AfD candidate in a German state capital in the mayoral run-off.
On Monday evening, the Schwerin CDU district executive finally decided to recommend voting for incumbent Rico Badenschier (SPD). The decision was made with a heavy heart, but unanimously after intensive discussion, said CDU district chairman Jascha Dopp.
It was not easy after the committed election campaign of the CDU, FDP and Independent Citizens supported by the independent candidate Thomas Tweer. "But now it's about the future of Schwerin," said Dopp. The AfD state chairman Leif-Erik Holm tolerates right-wing extremists in his party. It was clear that the CDU could not support such a person.
The Left and the Greens had already given their election recommendation for Badenschier on Sunday evening. Their candidates had each achieved single-digit results in the first round of voting. Badenschier had received 42 percent, Tweer had landed with 17.1 percent in third place behind Leif-Erik Holm (27.4 percent).
jso/dpa