There has never been so much "freedom" in Otterfing: Two lists appear in the local elections under the label "Free voters". That is behind it.
Otterfing - Twice free voters on the municipal council ballot - the 3709 Otterfinger who are eligible to vote must look carefully to make out the differences. This division is unique in the north of the district, but corresponds to the situation in the district. On the one hand there are the "old" FW who want to continue completely independent of any party structure, on the other hand the "organized" FW, who are members of the state association and identify with the FW policy in the state parliament. In the other northern communities, the Free Voters are either one way or the other, but each is closed. There was a split in autumn 2019.
On the mayor election: Panel discussion in Otterfing: Refreshing differences
2020 local elections: two free voter lists in Otterfing - that is behind it
At the end of September, when the last efforts to create a common list of free voters at district level failed and the split manifested itself (we reported), the FW in Otterfing also started to slip. A small group around Josef Killer tried unsuccessfully to align the FW towards the national association. "He wanted to put us on the party line," says Mayor Ulrike Stockmeier, "but we just didn't want that."
More from the community: Otterfinger Mardi Gras: Gaudi in oncoming traffic
Killer is not so sure about that. "The members of the Free Voters were never asked about this, we were faced with a fait accompli." The "old" FW did not respond to Killer's ambitions to run for mayor. "I was complimented, they didn't want me," says Killer. That's why he refrained from appearing at the constellation assembly and throwing his hat into the ring. He declined the offered place on the municipal council list: "Running somewhere in the back, I didn't want to."
Finally, Killer made the separation. "Clever from his point of view," admits Stockmeier. The 65-year-old founded the FWG in November with a handful of faithful, had the group registered as an association and accepted into the state association with which the old FW wanted nothing to do. "Party-free remains our trademark," emphasizes Stockmeier. Killer, however, appreciates the nationwide anchoring, “because the FW help to form a political center.” He himself wants to become mayor as an FWG candidate, but Stockmeier's FWO does not intervene in the race for the top position. Desired candidate Stefan Burgmayr had given up.
Also interesting: video duel of the district council candidates - who convinced you? Vote!
The connection to the umbrella organization of free voters gives Killers FWG rank 3 on the Otterfinger ballot papers, behind the CSU and the Greens, although it has only just been founded. "The results of the state parliament election are decisive for the ranking," said election manager Markus Stark. The "old" FWO has to line up in the back and gets the last column. The fact that it is numerically only proposal no. 7 is due to the fact that the ordinal numbers 1 to 6 are reserved for the parties represented in the state election. Since AfD and FDP do not compete in Otterfing, two ranks remain vacant.
"A Tohuwabohu," says Stockmeier. "Difficult to convey to the voters." After the election, the FWO would try to differentiate itself clearly with a new name. Killer, on the other hand, wants to "work for reunification". He believes it is possible to bring the FW groups together on a “common line”.
