The German Catholic Day, held in Würzburg, continued its tradition of excluding AfD representatives, a decision defended by Bishop Heiner Wilmer, who emphasized the Church’s commitment to inclusivity and opposition to extremist rhetoric. Concurrently, Kaufmann met with Pope Leo during an OSCE parliamentary audience, where he asserted the AfD’s alignment with family and Christian values. Following the meeting, Kaufmann expressed his discontent with the exclusion from the Catholic Day, framing it as a societal division perpetuated by the Church.