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EPA
Christian Hirte congratulated Thomas Kemmerich on his win in Thuringia.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has dismissed a minister for applauding the election of a liberal prospect who was supported by the far.
The candidate, Thomas Kemmerich, won an election in the state of Thuringia with the support of the reactionary AfD party.
Christian Hirte, who comes from Mrs Merkel’s CDU party, tweeted his congratulations later on.
Mr Kemmerich’s victory with AfD assistance was seen as a political earthquake. Mrs Merkel stated it was “unforgiveable”.
Wednesday’s election broke a taboo in German politics that mainstream celebrations do not work with the far right, and caused outrage among Ms Merkel’s centre-left union partners in the nationwide federal government, the Social Democrats (SPD).
As the vote sent out shockwaves through Germany, Mr Hirte tweeted to FDP politician Mr Kemmerich: “Your election as a candidate of the middle shows as soon as again that the Thuringian [left-wing] red-green alliance has actually been voted out for great.”
The tweet was widely condemned, and Sven Kindler, Green Celebration member of the German parliament – the Bundestag – responded: “Forming pacts with Nazis and also giving your congratulatio