German State Parliament Vice President Resigns After Drawing Swastika on Ballot

Kokcha News Agency: Daniel Born, the Vice President of the Baden-Württemberg State Parliament and a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has resigned from his position after admitting to drawing a swastika on a ballot during a secret vote. The incident occurred during a vote to elect members to the “Oberrhein Council,” a regional body, and has ignited significant controversy.

According to German media reports, Born drew the swastika, a symbol associated with the Nazi regime, on the ballot and cast it into the ballot box. The act was met with immediate backlash, with Baden-Württemberg State Parliament President Muhterem Aras stating, “This disgusts me,” and emphasizing that the use of unconstitutional symbols constitutes a criminal offense.

Born Admits to the Act

Following the uproar, Born sent an email to fellow parliamentarians, admitting that he had drawn the swastika on the ballot. He explained that he intended to highlight that votes for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are always a sign of extreme right-wing hatred and incitement.

Born acknowledged that he had made a “grave mistake” and stated that he would not forgive himself for it, adding that he would face the consequences. He announced his resignation from both the position of Vice President of the State Parliament and the SPD parliamentary group.

Political Reactions

SPD parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch described Born’s actions as a “serious mistake” and expressed support for his resignation from both positions. Meanwhile, AfD parliamentary group leader Anton Baron called for Born to resign from his seat in the parliament entirely.

Context

The incident has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions surrounding the AfD, a party that has been criticized for its far-right rhetoric and policies. Born’s actions, while intended as a protest against the AfD, have been widely condemned as inappropriate and counterproductive.