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Political scandal in Rosenheim: SPD excludes AfD city councilor from ceremony!
The SPD Rosenheim celebrated its 80th anniversary. An incident with city councilor Bauer causes political scandal and discussions.
Political scandal in Rosenheim: SPD excludes AfD city councilor from ceremony!
On November 4, 2025, the SPD Rosenheim celebrated an important anniversary: 80 years after its re-establishment after the Second World War, members and guests gathered for a festive event. Keynote speaker Markus Rinderspacher, Vice President of the Bavarian State Parliament, encouraged those present to actively participate in shaping the political landscape. Invitation cards went to Mayor Andreas März, members of the city administration and 44 city councilors. But it shouldn't just be festive, like that rosenheim24.de reported.
Some of the invitations were also sent via social media and email, including the invitation to city councilor Stefan Bauer, who is non-party, and members of the AfD. An unexpected conflict developed when Bauer was asked to leave the hall at the event. No reason was given; only reference was made to house rules. Bauer then said that he felt like he was being treated like a second-class citizen because house rules had rejected him in this way.
Political scandal and reactions
Bernhard Boneberg, deputy local chairman of the AfD, described the incident as a “political scandal” and criticized the SPD for violating local political etiquette. He demanded a public apology from the SPD for the treatment of Bauer. However, this rejection was rejected by the SPD. Abuzar Erdogan, the leader of the SPD parliamentary group, justified the decision by saying that no “enemies of democracy” should be tolerated at the event.
Stefan Bauer, who has attracted attention in the past through controversial statements, especially during the corona pandemic, caused a stir when he compared the Covid vaccination with the use of Zyklon B in the concentration camps in a video. This led to the AfD distancing itself from him, despite the fact that Bauer got into the city council via the AfD list. When he was sworn in as a city council member, demonstrators even shouted “Nazis out,” which underlines his right-wing position, it was reported sueddeutsche.de.
Challenges for local politicians
The incident at the SPD event reflects a larger problem that is currently affecting many local politicians. According to a study, the political and social crises of recent years have placed a considerable burden on the lowest political level. Increasingly, elected officials have to deal with protests and hostility, especially in connection with asylum accommodation and Corona measures. In 2020, 64% of those holding office said they had experienced hostility, while 79% of mayors in large cities were affected by threats bpb.de.
The increasing number of threats against local elected officials makes it clear that more support and protection concepts are necessary. This makes institutions such as the “Starke Stelle” contact point and the various support offers from the state prevention councils and democracy centers all the more important, which help to create a safe environment for politicians.
In a climate in which the communications landscape is increasingly characterized by extremism, politics is faced with the challenge of not only tackling such trends, but also effectively supporting the elected officials affected.