Climate activist Simon Lachner (right) in conversation with a fellow campaigner. © Lennart Preiss/dpa
Because he is known as a climate glue in Regensburg, the youth welfare office has removed a candidate for election as youth alderman from the list of candidates.
Regensburg – Simon Lachner is a little disappointed. "That's a shame. I would have considered myself a good addition." But Lachner's request to apply as a youth lay judge for the district and district court in Regensburg has already been put a stop to by the youth welfare office from the outset. Reason: It is a so-called climate glue.
Youth aldermen: The city councillors get a pre-selection
Since last Friday, the official list of proposals for youth aldermen has been available for inspection at the Youth Welfare Office. The names of 96 men and women who want to get involved as honorary judges in juvenile justice cases for the next five years are on it.
The procedure is clearly regulated: First, the youth welfare committee of the Regensburg city council approves the list, after the public interpretation, the aldermen's election committee at the Regensburg district court then has the last word.
In view of the large number of applications, however, the Youth Welfare Office already makes a pre-selection, mainly because not all of them meet the mandatory requirements.
Youth Welfare Office pre-sorted – according to age, competence, profession and...
For example, one applicant was rejected this year because she had already exceeded the maximum age of 1 on January 2023, 69. Two applicants and one female applicant are out of the question because they do not live in the city of Regensburg. The Youth Welfare Office cancelled 14 people because they did not have the necessary experience in the field of youth education. Twelve applicants were at a disadvantage because they are teachers and this professional group is overrepresented.
On the one hand, it is a matter of representing a certain cross-section of the population. And on the other hand, the lists of nominees should not significantly exceed the need reported by the local and regional courts – 88 lay judges.
Youth welfare office removes climate glue from the list: "Unsuitable as a role model"
However, the rejection of a person in the pre-selection process stands out somewhat. In the anonymised template of the Youth Welfare Office for the city councillors, the applicant with the number 42 can be read that he is "known as a so-called 'climate glue'".
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"As a result of these criminally relevant actions, he is unsuitable as a role model for young people who are on trial for a criminal offence and his educational competence is doubtful." It was therefore removed from the list in advance.
According to information from our editors, the climate glue, which the municipal youth welfare office certifies as having dubious educational competence, is the electrical engineer Simon Lachner, a well-known face of the "last generation" in Regensburg.
In a new music video, the band "Dorfrocker" tackles climate glue: an "activist" is sprayed with manure. Now the Last Generation is speaking out.
Climate glue removed from jury list: He has no criminal record
Currently, he and six other activists have to answer to the Regensburg Regional Court for allegations of coercion. However, Lachner has no previous convictions or final convictions.
He was sentenced to 40 daily rates by the Munich District Court for a blockade action last year. However, the decision is not final. The appeal is ongoing.
(By the way: Our brand new Regensburg newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from the World Heritage City and the Upper Palatinate. Sign up here.)
Climate glue removed from list of aldermen: Years of commitment to youth work
Lachner thus fulfils the purely formal requirements for the office of lay judge. Only those who have been sentenced to imprisonment of more than six months or who are being investigated for a serious crime that could lead to the loss of the assumption of honorary offices are excluded from the election per se.
Lachner's many years of commitment to church youth work are indisputable. He has already received an award for this.
Wolfgang Kronauer is a youth officer and head of the youth office in the diocese of Eichstätt. He worked with Lachner there until last year in the training of youth leaders and praises the young man as "very reflective and committed". "Regardless of the formal requirements, I could well have imagined him as an alderman from his personality."
Climate glue removed from the list of aldermen: He also wanted to run as a counterweight to the AfD
Lachner also believes that he would have become a good alderman because of his experience in youth work. But also because he can understand well what court cases can mean for young people.
He had applied very consciously as a youth alderman. This is also because the AfD has mobilized massively among its members. A counterweight is needed.
The fact that an office in the administration had cast doubt on his suitability and that he was therefore not even allowed to stand for election also had something of a prejudgement. "You shouldn't work like that in the judiciary," says Lachner. But he is not too shaken now. "I've been to the court often enough."
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