Election chaos in Saarbrücken: ruling invalidates regional election!

Election chaos in Saarbrücken: ruling invalidates regional election!

On May 27, 2025, the Saarland Administrative Court in Saarlouis decided that the election for the regional assembly in the Saarbrücken regional association, which took place in June 2024, must be declared invalid. This decision resulted from a lawsuit by the AfD, which was directed against their exclusion from the election and was therefore aimed directly at the approval of their election proposals. The court found that one of the AfD's election proposals that was ready for approval should have been taken into account, while the second proposal could have been rejected for formal reasons.

The election committee had previously rejected both of the AfD's election proposals because only one list per party is permitted. This exclusion occurred in the local elections on June 9, 2023, prompting the AfD to take legal action. The court's decision recognized that there was no violation of the ban on multiple applications, which sets the stage for new elections.

Legal consequences and possible appeal

The ruling required the state administration office to declare the election invalid. This could have an impact on the distribution of seats within the regional assembly, which has 45 members and is elected by the citizens of the ten cities and municipalities belonging to the association. The members have a term of office of five years and deal with the self-governing affairs of the regional association. In the event of a new election, around 250,000 eligible voters will be called upon to cast their votes.

Those involved have the opportunity to lodge an appeal with the Higher Administrative Court within one month. It is currently unclear whether the state administration office will take this step. The Interior Ministry would first like to wait for the written reasons for the judgment before making a decision.

Reactions to the verdict

The regional association director Carolin Lehberger informed the members of the regional assembly about the decision to declare the election invalid. Christoph Schaufert, a member of the AfD state parliament, described the verdict as an embarrassment for the election management and the election committee. Despite the challenges arising from this ruling, the AfD expresses the expectation of achieving a record result in a new election.

The day-to-day business of the regional assembly will continue while the legal issues surrounding the election and its implementation are clarified. The AfD sees its lawsuit vindicated and would like to use the opportunity to strengthen its position in future elections. Everyone involved must now wait for further developments and react.

The situation remains tense and could have far-reaching consequences for the political landscape in Saarland. The significance of this election and the reactions to it will be closely monitored by both political actors and voters. Anyone interested can take a quick look at the details of the lawsuit and its implications.