The deputy speaker of the parliament in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg resigned on Friday after admitting he had drawn a swastika on a ballot paper next to the name of a far-right AfD lawmaker.
Center-left Social Democrat (SPD) politician Daniel Born made the transgression during a vote involving two Alternative for Germany (AfD) lawmakers.
What do we know about the resignation?
In a statement, the Born said he had made a “serious mistake” and a “momentary lapse.”
The incident happened during Thursday’s election of deputy members to the cross-border Upper Rhine Council, a consultative body.
Two AfD lawmakers were on the ballot. A swastika was found on one of the ballots next to the name of AfD candidate Bernhard Eisenhut.
The news that someone had drawn a swastika prompted widespread outrage. Initially, it was unclear who had drawn the Nazi symbol.
State parliament president Muhterem Aras from the Green Party called the act a “criminal offense,” and the parliament filed a criminal complaint with police on Thursday evening, initially against an unknown perpetrator.
On Friday, Born took responsibility and said he would also step down from the SPD parliamentary group.
“This was a serious error of judgment,” he said. “I deeply regret this and accept the consequences.”
SPD leader in the state parliament, Andreas Stoch, welcomed Born’s resignation. “Parliament has suffered damage, and Daniel Born is taking responsibility.”