MAINZ, Germany — An anti-foreigner party has drawn social-media scorn after it apparently called for the deportation of native Germans instead of refugees.
Germany's right-wing National Democratic Party (NPD) posted a picture on its Facebook page of a poster calling for "consistent deportation" above the words "our people first," the group's slogan.
The image was soon removed but not before drawing ridicule on social media. One Twitter user posted a message that read: “German nationalists are masters of design.”
"Dear NPD ... we think it is a great idea that you want to deport yourselves first," tweeted another user who goes by the handle "hooligans against syntax.”
The image of the poster, deemed “Germany’s dumbest election campaign placard” by mass-circulation Bild newspaper, was removed from the official NPD Facebook page, but photos of campaigners holding the poster could still be seen online Thursday.
Related: Refugees Must Return Home When War Is Over, Merkel Says
The NPD — which calls itself the “social homeland party” — has been accused of stirring up an "atmosphere of fear" over the refugee crisis. The party, which is campaigning in three state polls, is also under surveillance by Germany’s domestic intelligence service.
In December, Germany's constitutional court announced that it would open proceedings to evaluate whether the NPD could be banned after 16 German states had filed a petition to outlaw the party.
