Nuremberg city council rejects referendum on 365-euro ticket with a large majority – “embarrassing comedy”

Created: 07/09/2022, 16:13

By: Nikolas Pelke

The citizens' petition for the 365-euro ticket in Nuremberg was rejected by the city council with a large majority.

© Daniel Karmann/dpa

After a heated debate, the Nuremberg City Council rejected the referendum for the 365-euro ticket by a large majority on Friday.

Nuremberg – Before the exchange of blows, Mayor Marcus König (CSU) and City Councilor Titus Schüller (Left) briefly put their heads together.

After the friendly gesture of the main opponents, however, political scraps flew.

Interestingly, Nuremberg's Lord Mayor König did not speak personally.

For the CSU, parliamentary group leader Andreas Krieglstein has confirmed that he will reject the planned referendum.

365-euro ticket is said to violate the laws of thrift

At the center of the debate was the dispute as to whether the petition for a referendum is legally permissible at all and whether the people of Nuremberg are allowed to vote on the introduction of a cheap annual ticket as part of a referendum.

No, was the answer of the vast majority.

In addition to the black-red alliance partners from the CSU and SPD, the Greens also voted against a referendum.

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Nuremberg Treasurer warned of a big "job prank concert" because of the 365-euro ticket

Finance officer Harald Riedel (SPD) had previously warned the councils of a “horror scenario”.

The Franconian metropolis would have to shell out almost 25 million euros a year for the 365-euro ticket.

"If the annual ticket comes, we would have to cancel many voluntary services," warned Riedel.

In order to raise the necessary money for the ticket, for example, all 600 personnel positions in the cultural sector would have to fall victim to the cutbacks.

"These are not fantasies of a hysterical treasurer," Riedel supported the city administration's proposal not to legally allow the referendum for reasons of economy and economy.

Directly in the direction of the Left City Council, Riedel said: "We will also lay the ax on services that are important to you."

Proponents like Titus Schüller (left) remind the CSU, SPD and Greens of the political about-face

Schüller, on the other hand, recalled almost smugly how the opinion of the relevant parties on the 365-euro ticket had completely turned 180 degrees within two years.

Two years ago, Lord Mayor König proudly raved about a "milestone with exemplary character".

The SPD had cheered about the new "permanent savings price".

And after the unanimous decision in favor of the 365-euro ticket, the Greens even placed advertisements in the newspapers out of sheer joy.

With the renewed attempt to hold a referendum, Schüller wants to urge the city leaders to comply with the unilaterally canceled agreement to introduce the 365-euro ticket.

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After a heated debate with Left City Councilor Titus Schüller (middle of the picture) in the center, the Nuremberg City Council classified the citizens' petition for the 365-euro ticket as inadmissible.

© Nikolas Pelke

SPD: Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg (VGN) would face an ordeal

Schüller was not able to convince most of his council colleagues.

SPD faction leader Thorsten Brehm, for example, complained that the supporters had obviously not recognized the signs of the times.

The Ukraine war would already have negative consequences for the already tight budget of the Franconian metropolis.

The introduction of the 365-euro ticket would not only endanger Nuremberg's own budget, but, according to Brehm, would probably also pose a serious test for the greater Nuremberg transport association (VGN).

"We cannot therefore declare this citizens' initiative to be admissible," said Brehm, to which Achim Mletzko, leader of the Greens parliamentary group, applauded.

The eco-party can also follow the negative attitude of the lawyers in the town hall on every point.

Mletzko has the impression that the approximately 18,500 signatories to the citizens' initiative were not aware of the dramatic financial consequences.

Politgange criticizes "embarrassing comedy" in Nuremberg city council

On the other hand, Ernesto Buholzer Sepúlveda (political gang for the promotion of socio-cultural freedom, participation and sustainability) had the impression on Friday of attending a political "comedy".

In 2020, the city council would have voted unanimously for the introduction of the 365-euro ticket.

In 2022, the same city council would suddenly reject the same annual ticket, citing relatively flimsy legal arguments.

Buholzer Sepúlveda therefore finds it "embarrassing" to deny citizens the right to make a decision.

After the approximately 90-minute exchange of blows, the city council finally voted with a large majority on Friday, as expected, to reject the citizens' petition as inadmissible.

The supporters around Left City Councilor Schüller have already announced that they will go to court against the decision of the council.