Discussion about Frankfurt's mayor: "The Eintracht members will vote out Feldmann"

Created: 05/28/2022, 14:55

By: Thomas Remlein

Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann celebrates Eintracht's victory in the Europa League.

© Sebastian Gollnow/dpa

Despite numerous calls for his resignation, Frankfurt's mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) wants to remain in office.

A local chairman criticizes his behavior in an interview.

Frankfurt – Ulrich Labonté: The mayor must make his office available.

Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) is deeply involved in affairs.

The public prosecutor wants to bring charges of taking advantage in office, he made sexist statements, duped Eintracht at the victory celebration after the Euro League triumph in Römer.

26 Frankfurt SPD local groups are now demanding his resignation, as reported by fnp.de.

Editor Thomas Remlein spoke to Ulrich Labonté, the SPD local chairman in Bornheim.

SPD local chairman calls for the resignation of Frankfurt's OB Feldmann

How do you rate Peter Feldmann's performance when reading his statement in front of the mayor's office on Wednesday?

For me it was catastrophic because it wasn't an answer at all to the criticism of his own behavior and also lacks any consequences that he has to draw.

They were apologies that we have heard many times before - I'm sorry to say - but which have not led to any change in behavior that we had always hoped for.

Mr. Labonté, you are the chairman of the SPD local association in Bornheim and on the local advisory board.

You are also very well known in the city because of your deceased father Paul, the former head of the city council (CDU).

Do you still dare to go out on the streets because of Feldmann?

Yes, I still dare to go to the Gass', because we have a very well-functioning SPD in Bornheim.

I'll give you an example: we are currently the ones driving the mobility turnaround in the local council and we are considered serious politicians here: people who strive for solutions and who try to do what they promised beforehand.

That's why I dare to go to the Gass'.

The people here know us.

What reactions do you encounter in contact with the citizens?

We are regularly two to three times a month with a stand in different parts of Bornheim.

That means: SPD listens.

The formulation in the last few months has been: when can you replace Peter?

That's why I say it: People still say Peter.

So Peter means: Peter Feldmann had a good reputation here.

But that reputation has unfortunately been completely ruined by his own behavior.

That's why the request to us is: Please do something so that Peter resigns.

We then have to explain: We can talk to him a lot, but it hasn't helped so far.

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Ulrich Labonté (70) is SPD local chairman in Bornheim and Eintracht member.

© Hamerski

Frankfurt's Mayor Feldmann criticized: "It will damage the state elections"

Isn't it strange that it was his sexism escapades that broke the camel's back and not the more weighty allegation of suspicion of corruption?

Yes, that's strange.

But that is also due to the media landscape and the scandalized handling of many such topics.

The statements on the plane were terrible.

But Peter Feldmann's non-statements on the allegations of suspicion regarding Awo weigh very, very heavily, of course.

For us, the bitter thing is that we only found out from Peter about the status of the Awo development when it was in the press and when he couldn't do anything else.

Have comrades already announced to you that they will leave the party if Feldmann remains in office as mayor?

No, I have to say that very clearly.

We are a local association in Bornheim with over 200 members, the second largest in Frankfurt.

There hasn't been a single one of these reactions to date.

But that has to do with the fact that most members are pursuing the goal of democratic socialism and see the party as a community that does not depend on individuals, no matter what function they hold at the moment.

Nevertheless: The damage that Feldmann is currently causing could still have an impact on the SPD in the Hessian state elections if he stayed in office.

Would you agree with that?

Naturally.

We have met with him twice in the last few weeks, two and a half hours the day before yesterday and he has shown no intention of stepping down.

That has damage to the state election.

However, we as the SPD have long distanced ourselves from him.

Peter Feldmann is no longer the SPD Lord Mayor and basically he is no longer the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt, he is only that on paper.

We believe that our future voters in Hesse will also appreciate that we have dealt with the matter very clearly.

SPD local chairman about Frankfurt's OB Feldmann: "He is aware of the situation he has put himself in"

Feldmann seem to be completely indifferent to his affairs.

Sometimes he seems like goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who was motivated when the stadium whistled at him.

Is that so?

(laughs).

I do not believe that.

The day before yesterday I said to him again: Peter, discuss this with your closest friends.

You will suffer great personal damage from it and you will not be able to keep it up in the long run.

You need superhuman strength to do that.

He's very scratched, I think, and he's already aware of the dramatic situation he's brought the party and Frankfurt into.

I think he also feels that there is no way out other than making the office available.

There are rumors that Feldmann wants to wait until June before resigning because he can then draw a higher pension.

Do you think so?

It's not a question of belief.

I consider these considerations to be of secondary importance in relation to Peter Feldmann.

His pattern of conflict resolution is completely different from what we imagine.

Whether the financial aspect plays a role, I don't know.

I think the key aspect for him is that he continues to be the center of attention as a person and that he is perceived as the mayor of the social issue.

Unfortunately he isn't anymore.

That was in his first term.

And now he has completely dismantled it himself.

Frankfurt: Eintracht members could vote out OB Feldmann

How do you assess the chances of deposing Feldmann in the course of a deselection process?

Yes, I have an ironic answer.

I have not considered the vote-out process to be a good opportunity because I was unsure of getting the quorum.

In the meantime - I'm also a member of Eintracht Frankfurt - we have explained through our board that Peter is no longer so welcome at Eintracht.

Therefore, I think it is very likely that the Eintracht members will vote out Peter Feldmann.

Do you see the high quorum of 30 percent for voting out as a weakness in the Hessian municipal code?

It might work in small communities, but not in a big city?

This is not contemporary for a big city.

The mayor of a big city is also the head of a large company with a political orientation.

With many structures, with hundreds of employees.

With a lot of affected people.

That's why we want Peter to resign.

Maybe you should go down to 15 percent?

Might be a possibility, but maybe there are better suggestions.

I'm still unsure.

After all: In Hanau in 2003, Margret Härtel (CDU) was voted out.

The allegations against her were far less serious than those against Peter Feldmann.

I think it can also work in Frankfurt.

The debate is moving in a different direction.

The task now is for the office of mayor to be filled again.

I'll tell you a lax saying as a social democrat: We are for a strong state.

However, a strong state also needs strong, capable individuals at its head.

This applies to the city of Frankfurt in particular.

It's a highlight of the region.

It's not okay that we have a mayor - regardless of which party - who is only busy with his affairs or with the comic handling of his affairs instead of managing and leading the city.