AfD Candidate Fired by Caritas Seeks Legal Remedy Over Dismissal

After announcing her candidacy for the AfD in Salzgitter's city council race, kindergarten educator Kerstin Zimmermann was summarily dismissed by the Caritas organization, which runs the "Arche Noah" facility where she had worked for six years. The termination came after Caritas warned her that she must withdraw her candidacy or face dismissal. Zimmermann's attorney contends that political party membership or candidacy should not influence a regular employment relationship and intends to bring the case before a court to restore her job.

The lawyer framed the dispute as not only a labor issue but also a matter of democratic rights. This incident follows other recent cases where employees of church-related institutions were let go for running with the AfD, citing the party's classification by the domestic security service as extremist. The outcomes of these lawsuits could set precedents for the balance between political freedom and employer policies in the sector.