Enlarge image
voting booths (icon image)
Photo: Markus Scholz / dpa
It was a big surprise in Schwanau: the municipality in Baden-Württemberg elected Alexander Schindler (SPD) mayor - despite the withdrawal of his candidacy.
Schindler announced in a press release that he would not accept the election.
According to Schindler, many people had expressed the wish that he would take office after all.
Unfortunately, that is not possible for him.
His recovery process will take some time.
Schindler was the winner of the election last Sunday with an absolute majority - although he had withdrawn from the race two weeks earlier for health reasons.
Formally, the 43-year-old was still an eligible candidate and was on the ballot paper.
Subsequent deletion was not legally possible.
The community has now also been informed that Schindler is not accepting the election, said Schwanau's main office manager, Michael Ready, to the dpa news agency.
Accordingly, the municipal council is now busy with voting for a new election date.
The election must be completely re-advertised;
Candidates must reapply.
It could be ready for the tender at the beginning of July, said Fertig.
The new election could then take place in August.
According to the »Badische Zeitung«, another vote with new candidates could also have been the goal of numerous voters.
As hoped, the way to a new election is now clear, a local councilor was quoted as saying.
The previous mayor, Wolfgang Brucker, resigned after more than 20 years.
He is now director of a regional association.
wit