Munich — Rainer W. (name changed) strangled his 88-year-old neighbor with a cable, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. It was later revealed that this man intended to run for the Munich City Council representing the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The crime occurred on January 13, 2004, in Furth im Wald (Upper Palatinate). According to the verdict of the Regensburg Regional Court on March 1, 2005, Rainer W. beat and killed the neighbor in her apartment. The motive, according to the court, was to cover up another crime.
Convicted Murderer Sought Seat on Munich City Council
As the Regensburg Public Prosecutor’s Office stated in response to an inquiry, Rainer W. was released from prison in March 2021, as the remainder of his sentence was commuted to probation. According to a departmental spokesperson, the probationary period will expire in March 2026. From that point, for a period of five years, he will be ineligible to hold public office.
The inability to participate in elections due to the murder conviction caught the attention of the District Administration Office. This body was reviewing all candidates for the municipal elections, scheduled for March 8, to ensure they met legal requirements. The final decision rested with the election committee. According to the publication tz, Rainer W. was on the AfD list but had to be struck off. This was officially termed an exclusion from the list of persons eligible to run for office.
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The AfD mayoral candidate, Markus Walbrunn, explained in response to an inquiry that the party knew nothing about their associate’s past. Rainer W. joined the party in February 2025. “During the intake interview, he did not mention the act he had committed,” Walbrunn emphasized. He also added: “At no point did he give the impression of a person prone to violence.” The convicted murderer had been selected for the 49th spot on a list of 50 possible candidates.
Following the decision by the Munich election committee, the party leadership demanded an explanation from Rainer W. He initially claimed that the conviction was only for causing bodily harm and attempted to downplay the severity of the act. He also asserted that he was supposedly unaware of the ban on participating in elections.
It was only on February 4 that Rainer W. admitted to the murder conviction. Immediately thereafter, he submitted written notification of his resignation from the party, thereby preempting the start of a forced expulsion procedure.Source: tz
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