Katja Wolf, mayor of the eastern German town of Eisenach, has refused to shake hands with any of the four councillors from the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD).

Patrick Wieschke, who has past links to neo-Nazi terrorists and was convicted in 2000 of plotting to bomb a kebab shop, has now launched court proceedings over the snub.

Instead of seeking damages, Mr Wieschke is only seeking a court order forcing Ms Wolf to shake his hand, Der Spiegel reports.

Ms Wolf, a senior member of left-wing party Die Linke, said: “With every fibre of his being, Mr. Wieschke is a racist, anti-constitutional right-wing radical.

“Why should I have physical contact with someone like that? I would like to decide for myself whom to congratulate with a handshake.”

She added: “I do not want to touch certain people, especially not in an official context. I have therefore never given Mr Wieschke my hand - and I hope that no court will force me to do so.”