Dhe Frankfurt Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) will not run for this office again in 2024. The mayor announced this on Thursday. At the same time, Feldmann let it be known that he would suspend his party membership if the charges against him were admitted.
“It remains the same: I am not corrupt,” writes Feldmann. “One could not and one cannot buy my goodwill.” The guideline of his actions remains the well-being of the city. He will continue to exercise his office vigorously, but at the same time wants to avert damage and discussions from his party “and enable it to make a fresh start in 2024”.
Membership is suspended if the indictment is admitted
The Frankfurt SPD has many personalities in its ranks who are suitable for the office of mayor. In addition, he decided with a heavy heart, “if the lawsuit is admitted, my membership in the SPD will be suspended until the final conclusion of the proceedings, which I look forward to with confidence.”
The public prosecutor’s office in Frankfurt has accused Feldmann on suspicion of accepting an advantage. In addition, it said in its statement that the Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) Frankfurt had supported the mayor, who had been in office since 2012, in the election campaign for the mayoral office in 2018 “by raising donations”. “In return, the accused is said to have tacitly agreed with those responsible at the time that he would benevolently take into account the interests of the AWO Frankfurt in his future office.”
In addition, he is said to have used his position to get his partner at the time and later wife a job as head of a German-Turkish day-care center run by the AWO, for which she was paid above the tariff and given a company car.
CDU sees false reaction from Feldmann
FDP faction leader Yanki Pürsün described the mayor’s behavior as “inconsistent”. Feldmann apparently believes he can continue unabashedly if he puts his party membership on hold. Feldmann’s step is not enough for the Volt faction. “We would have liked to have had the new beginning that he is now announcing for 2024 earlier,” said the parliamentary group leader Martin Huber, recalling his request at the most recent city council meeting that the mayor should resign. The CDU parliamentary group leader Nils Kößler called Feldmann’s announcement a matter of course. With regard to the people in the city, it is a wrong reaction, because it does not change the fact that a mayor accused of corruption remains in office in Frankfurt.
The Greens say: “We have clearly formulated that we expect public restraint, active participation in the investigation and respect for the independence of the judiciary.” At the latest “on approval of the lawsuit” he must resign from the Greens’ point of view.