The Archdiocese of Berlin has enforced new rules requiring candidates for parish and community councils to sign declarations rejecting racism, antisemitism, nationalistic nationalism, and anti-democratic sentiments.Announced last weekend by the diocesan council and to be officially confirmed by Archbishop Heiner Koch, these measures aim to ensure responsible participation and uphold the church's values.Candidates must also certify they are not members of extremist organizations officially classified as such by the federal or Berlin authorities, posing particular issues for members of the far-right party AfD, which is recognized as extremist by Brandenburg but not by Berlin.