A member of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, who was recently elected to the state parliament of Bavaria, has been arrested on Monday, according to the prosecutor’s office. Daniel Halemba, 22, was detained in the Stuttgart area on suspicion of incitement and using symbols of unconstitutional organizations. He is also a member of the fraternity “Buerschenschaft Teutonia Prag zu Wuerzburg,” which was raided in September on suspicion of having Nazi symbols and racist documents in their facilities.
Halemba’s lawyer, Dubravko Mandic, has denied the accusations, stating that they are unfounded. The investigation also targeted four other members of the organization. Alternative for Germany has gained significant support in recent regional elections in Bavaria and the neighboring state of Hesse. The anti-immigration party secured a third-place finish in Bavaria with 14.6% of the votes, and recent national polls estimated their support to be around 20%.
The new Bavarian legislature was scheduled to hold its first session on Monday afternoon. These developments raise concerns about the presence of far-right ideologies and symbolism within political institutions and the potential impact on the overall political landscape in Germany.
The arrest of a young legislator from a prominent far-right party is likely to generate significant attention and debate within the political and social spheres of Germany. It also shines a spotlight on the rise of far-right sentiments and the presence of extremism within political organizations in the country. The allegations and subsequent arrest will undoubtedly have implications for the ongoing political discourse and the efforts to combat far-right ideologies in Germany.
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