Thuringia
Newly elected AfD District Administrator Stuhlmann causes a stir with his primary school speech
Election winner in the Thuringian district of Sonneberg, the AfD politician Robert Stuhlmann
© Martin Schutt / DPA
AfD district administrator Robert Stuhlmann appeared at a primary school and indirectly campaigned for the AfD. This is now causing criticism because he may have violated the principle of neutrality.
The newly elected AfD district administrator of Sonneberg in Thuringia, Robert Stuhlmann is under close observation. After all, he is the first elected AfD district administrator in Germany. Now a video has become known that shows Stuhlmann giving a speech at an elementary school – and possibly not adhering to the neutrality requirement. The clip shows, among other things, how he talks about the state elections in 2024. “2024 is the election, the state election. If you don’t agree with the politics that has been practiced locally, then you have the opportunity to put a cross in a specific or in the right place,” says Stuhlmann the video that “Bild” first reported on.
The Thuringian Left MP Katharina König-Preuss shared the video on Twitter and wrote: “Advertising for the AfD? At a primary school?” She also mentioned the Thuringian Ministry of the Interior and Municipal Affairs and the Ministry of Education, which she believes should take a look.
Commercial advertising is strictly prohibited in schools
The video shows that Stuhlmann is speaking of Mengersgereuth hammers at the elementary school. He also names the place himself in his speech.
In the Thuringian school law, paragraph 56, paragraph three: “Commercial advertising and advertising for political parties and political groups is generally not permitted in the school.”
Thuringia’s Education Minister Helmut Holter was concerned. “This debut confirms all fears,” said Holter of the German Press Agency. “If the district administrator of the district of Sonneberg does not exercise political restraint towards schools and school children, the local authority must act quickly and clearly here.” A violation of the school law in this question is no trifle.
Robert Stuhlmann does not respond to requests
Holter pointed out that a party’s recommendation without alternative, without discussion, would be tantamount to violating the elements laid down in the Beutelsbach consensus, which should be used as a basis for political education: prohibition on overpowering, commandment of controversy, commandment of student orientation. Stuhlmann did not initially respond to a request from the German Press Agency.