Green deputy Lisa Becker failed to vote out

Created: 01/05/2023, 19:58

Lisa Becker in Saarbrucken.

© Oliver Dietze/dpa/archive image

In the Saarland town of Blieskastel, the deselection of the Greens deputy Lisa Becker failed in the second ballot.

A spokesman for the city announced that the two-thirds majority of 26 votes required for voting out was not achieved in the city council on Thursday evening.

A total of 25 council members voted to vote out the first deputy: In addition to the 13 SPD members, there were 9 out of a total of 12 CDU members as well as the FDP (1) and the AfD (2).

Blieskastel - The outcome of the vote was eagerly awaited, as the two-thirds majority of 26 votes required for a vote to be voted out was only achieved in the first ballot at the end of November because three AfD council members also voted in favor.

At the beginning of the meeting on Thursday, an AfD member surprisingly declared that he would now vote against the deselection, said SPD parliamentary group leader Achim Jesel.

As a result, Jesel - contrary to what was planned before the meeting - did not change his voting behavior after all.

Because in order to prevent the AfD from tipping the scales again, Jesel actually wanted to abstain.

The SPD parliamentary group had agreed on this the evening before.

Becker will now remain in office, said the city spokesman.

The voting procedure against Becker, who was the top candidate of the Greens in the 2022 state election campaign, was initiated by the Blieskastel SPD with other parties.

A renewed majority with the AfD to vote Becker out on Thursday was to be prevented, said Jesel.

"We were aware of what this is about."

Before the second ballot, Saarland SPD state chairwoman Anke Rehlinger warned: “The AfD must not tip the scales.

There can only be a democratic majority without the AfD, that is an undisputed social democratic attitude.”

In June of last year, the SPD faction in the Blieskasteler city council terminated its cooperation after disputes with the Greens.

The voting-off procedure against Becker was initiated after she was on vacation for Mayor Bernd Hertzler (SPD), because in his opinion they made critical decisions on their own.

He no longer saw any basis of trust.

Becker has always denied the allegations.

After the session, she said: “I'm glad, but I have mixed feelings because the procedure was far from pleasant.

But I'm glad that we can return to the technical work in the city," she said.

dpa