The Mayor of Frankfurt am Main, Peter Feldmann (SPD), has announced his resignation for early 2023. The SPD politician accused of corruption announced on Tuesday in Frankfurt that he would apply in January to end his term of office at the end of the month.
“I would like to save the city of Frankfurt an agonizing and expensive vote-out procedure – and take the opportunity to bring my official business to a proper conclusion after more than ten years. I will hand over an orderly house,” he wrote.
Feldmann was first elected mayor of the largest city in Hesse in 2012 and was confirmed in office for a further six years in 2018.
The 63-year-old is accused in connection with the affair about the workers’ welfare (Awo). In March, the Frankfurt public prosecutor’s office brought charges based on reasonable suspicion of accepting an advantage. Feldmann’s wife is said to have received a salary in excess of the collective agreement as head of an Awo day-care center “without any objective reason”.
In addition, Awo supported Feldmann in the 2018 election campaign by raising donations. In return, he wanted to “benevolently consider” the interests of Awo Frankfurt. At the end of May, the district court in Frankfurt approved the indictment, so Feldmann has to go to court. Dates for this have not yet been set. Feldman denies the allegations.
At the beginning of June, the Frankfurt city parliament had expressed no confidence in Feldmann. A large majority of city councilors voted to begin a vote-out process in mid-July. The coalition of the Greens, Volt, FDP and SPD had previously asked the mayor to resign immediately. The CDU and AfD, among others, joined the coalition’s application.
City councilors plan to initiate the process at their next meeting on July 14. The citizens would then be questioned. 30 percent of those entitled to vote would have to agree. Feldmann had previously stated that he would face it.
Most recently, the mayor shook his head several times. A video with a sexist saying by Feldmann appeared. In addition, the mayor had caused irritation at the celebration of Eintracht Frankfurt’s European Cup victory in the Römer, among other things, when he took the trophy out of the hands of Eintracht captain Sebastian Rode and coach Oliver Glasner in order to advance towards the Kaisersaal, which many considered judged selfish and complacent.
