A Green Party councilor, Julia Probst from the city of Weißenhorn, publicly asked in a survey whether her followers would agree to an organ donation if the potential recipient was an Alternative for Germany (AfD) voter.
The survey, taken by nearly 4,000 users, saw about a quarter say they would not agree to an organ donation; however, the vast majority said they would, amounting to 76 percent.
Her post was met with severe criticism from many users, with some accusing her of linking organ donation to political leanings.
One user, who wrote he was an “AfD opponent,” argued that as a first responder, he “first helps a person and not a ‘party affiliation.” He noted that linking organ donation to political affiliation was “inconceivable.”
The user also said: The wording of the question is very confusing to me? Do I have left-wing or right-wing blood?”
Many users with green hearts in their profiles, indicating their support for the Green Party, also took offense at the question. The majority of posters said that organ donation should not be linked to voting intention.
Probst has since locked her X account.
Legally speaking, organ donation cannot be linked to political affiliation. Organ donation allocation is directed by the Eurotransplant agency, with most considerations going towards waiting times, tissue compatibility, and how urgent the need is. In addition, factors such as the geographical distance between the organ and the recipient are important. Political views play no role in such decisions, and even if a donor did not want to provide an organ to a certain type of voter, this preference would not be permitted.
However, politics and medical treatment have already been mixing in Germany, with one doctor refusing to treat an AfD politician who had attended his practice for years.
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