In Germany's Lower Saxony state ahead of the upcoming local elections, the right-populist Alternative for Germany Party (AfD) featured church buildings in its election posters. This situation caused a reaction from numerous church congregations in the region.

Church administrations stated that the images were used without permission. Furthermore, they stated that AfD's political views are incompatible with their understanding of the Christian faith.

The Bramsche Protestant Church administration near Osnabrück emphasized that AfD's political views are incompatible with the Christian faith. They announced their opposition to the use of church buildings as part of political party propaganda. The statement noted that it is unacceptable for church spaces and symbols to be used for political objectives that contradict the fundamental values of the church.

The Hannover Protestant Church administration reported that approximately six different instances of AfD using church buildings in local election posters are known. Democracy researcher Alexander Hensel from Göttingen University stated that similar posters had been used previously in local elections in other states, albeit in limited numbers.

The Hannover Church Administration advised local congregations to openly distance themselves from AfD's use of church photos. However, some church representatives expressed the view that bringing too much attention to the issue might provide additional visibility to AfD.

The AfD Osnabrück District Organization, however, argued that the church images were used solely to establish a regional connection with the localities. The organization stated that it was not intended to create an impression of religious support or that church congregations supported the party.