Politics · Germany · 3 hrs ago
AfD politician accidentally gives up Cloppenburg council seat
Andreas Bluhm accidentally rejected his council seat in Cloppenburg, a city in Lower Saxony, Germany.
He signed and returned a form that said he would not take up the mandate, although he says he meant to accept it.
The AfD won nine seats in the city council election, but had nominated only five candidates.
With Bluhm’s seat now vacant and no replacement candidate available, the party can fill only four seats.
German law means Bluhm cannot withdraw his rejection.
The vacant seat also reduces the size of the new council; one account says it will have 34 members instead of 38, plus the mayor.
The new council is due to hold its first meeting on 2 November.
Andreas Bluhm of the AfD accidentally rejected his elected seat on Cloppenburg’s city council by checking and signing the rejection option on a form.
The city said his written rejection was binding and could not be withdrawn.
Because the AfD has no replacement candidate in Cloppenburg, the seat will remain vacant.
The AfD won nine seats in the council election but had nominated only five candidates.
Bluhm said he had looked forward to serving on the council.
- Who
- Andreas Bluhm, an AfD politician elected to Cloppenburg’s city council.
- What
- He accidentally rejected his council seat in a signed written declaration. The seat will remain vacant because the AfD has no replacement candidate.
- When
- The council election was held on September 13. The date he submitted the rejection is not stated.
- Where
- Cloppenburg, Lower Saxony, Germany.
- Why
- He mistakenly checked the option rejecting the seat on a form and signed it.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The AfD won nine seats in Cloppenburg’s city council election.
Bluhm checked the rejection option on a council-seat form, signed it and returned it.
Bluhm said he learned that he would not join the next city council.
The new council is scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting.
- Elected politician
- Andreas Bluhm
- Council election
- September 13
- AfD seats won
- 9
- AfD candidates nominated
- 5
- AfD seats it can fill
- 4
- New council meeting
- November 2
3 sources
What people are saying
I was really keen to join the city council.
I felt really sick when I found out.
The elected AfD candidate Andreas Bluhm rejected his mandate in a written declaration submitted within the deadline. In the absence of replacement candidates from the party, his seat remains vacant.