Evangelical Church of Central Germany Stands Firm Against AfD Ahead of Saxony-Anhalt Election

Friedrich Kramer, the regional bishop of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany (EKM), has reaffirmed the church's opposition to the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, continuing the campaign 'Herz statt Hetze' in the lead-up to the Saxony-Anhalt election. Kramer emphasized that there is no common ground between AfD policies and Christian values, stating, "A party that generally suspects foreigners and approaches them not with kindness but with xenophobia cannot invoke Jesus Christ." As a consequence, AfD members are barred from holding positions within the EKM, including councils and synods.

Kramer, who also serves as the peace commissioner for the Evangelical Church in Germany, highlighted the AfD's hostility toward churches, drawing parallels to historical church persecution under East Germany's SED regime. He warned against the AfD's proposal to cut state funding to churches, which would slash approximately 25% of the Evangelical Church's budget, severely impacting their community presence.

Addressing concerns among church members sympathetic to the AfD’s migration stance, Kramer stressed that biblical teachings require acceptance of strangers, urging voters to consider this over nationalist sentiments. He concluded that those who want churches to remain integral to their communities should reject the AfD at the polls.