Neo-Nazi official appointed mayor in German city

A neo-Nazi official was reportedly appointed mayor in a German city, sparking criticism.

Stefan Jagsch, a member of the extreme-right National Democratic Party, was appointed the district mayor of Waldsiedlung — a village near Frankfurt — last Thursday, The New York Times reports. The position had been unfilled for more than 10 weeks, the newspaper noted, and Jagsch was the only candidate to volunteer for the job.

Jagsch’s official Facebook page contains a banner criticizing the “Lying Press,” and he has posted content against Muslims, migrants and established political parties, the Times reported. He has also reportedly come up in annual reports by a state domestic security agency.{mosads}

Local representatives want to reverse the seven-member board’s vote to appoint Jagsch, 33, mayor, and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union, said the party will launch a probe into the decision, the Times reports.

Lars Klingbeil, the head of the Social Democrats, tweeted Saturday: “We do not cooperate with Nazis! Never!” 

Die SPD hat eine ganz klare Haltung: Wir kooperieren nicht mit Nazis! Niemals! Das gilt im Bund, im Land, in den Kommunen. Die Entscheidung in #Altenstadt ist unfassbar und mit nichts zu rechtfertigen. Sie muss sofort rückgängig gemacht werden. #noNPD

— Lars Klingbeil (@larsklingbeil) September 7, 2019

“Whoever lacks the political and moral compass and makes such an irresponsible democratic electoral decision is not acceptable as a member of the CDU,” Peter Tauber, a member of Parliament who represents the area that includes the village, tweeted.

Jagsch said the condemnation of his appointment is “totally exaggerated and ridiculous” and plans to challenge any attempt to reverse the decision, according to the Times.

The German government and both houses of Parliament have unsuccessfully tried to ban the National Democratic Party, which won 0.4 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections in 2017, the newspaper notes.