The district election committee of the Friesland district thus followed a recommendation from the Lower Saxony Interior Ministry to scrutinize the candidate more closely. The reason for the rejection was Sichert’s membership in the Lower Saxony AfD, which is classified as right-wing extremist, as well as numerous indications of his activities on social media. There, Sichert targets migrants, among others, and describes the Tagesschau as a propaganda channel of a dictatorship.
Sichert expressed shock at the decision. In a video released on Tuesday evening, he called it a “disgrace” and announced that he would take all legal means against the exclusion. However, this is only possible after the local election – through an objection to the new district council or a lawsuit at the administrative court.
The new local election law in Lower Saxony, which was amended with the majority of the SPD and Greens, allows election committees to consult the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in suspicious cases. State returning officer Markus Steinmetz described the law as an aid for the volunteer committees, which often have to decide alone on the constitutional loyalty of candidates.
Source: www.ndr.de
