German parliament rejects far-right deputy speaker candidate

BERLIN – Germany’s parliament has again rejected the far-right Alternative for Germany’s candidate for deputy speaker, prolonging a saga that has lasted over a year.

The parliament’s speaker, a job currently held by veteran conservative Wolfgang Schaeuble, usually has a deputy from each party in the chamber. Other parties agree that Alternative for Germany, which entered parliament last year, is entitled to supply a deputy speaker but haven’t given its candidates the required majority.

Lawmakers rejected its first candidate, Albrecht Glaser, in October 2017. They objected to comments in which Glaser suggested that freedom of religion shouldn’t apply to Islam.

Alternative for Germany recently nominated Mariana Harder-Kuehnel, a lawmaker with a relatively moderate reputation, for the job. But lawmakers Thursday rejected her second attempt to win approval by 377-241, with 41 abstentions.