Government - Ahr valley: Dreyer's farewell and Schweitzer's task
Malu Dreyers (SPD), last day as Ministerpresident, just a few days before the third anniversary of the Ahrtal-Flood: It could have been a day for great words. Instead, there was rather the usual political business at the meeting of the Ministers Council in Dernau. Her designated successor and Still-Social Minister Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) was also reserved.
How did Dreyer behave on her last day?
The shining sun over the Ahrtal was symbolic for the meeting: Surrounding areas had praising words. Besides the external Ministers Council session, the state government also met with the honorary and professional mayors and mayors. Dreyer took advantage of the opportunity to express her gratitude to them. "Many big steps have already been taken, and much of it is thanks to you in the Ahrtal," she said. In the valley, one could see that the dynamics, especially in terms of the communal infrastructure, had increased significantly.
"Even though I won't be Ministerpresident tomorrow, but it was very important to me to still be present here today," said Dreyer. The mayors expressed their thanks. "That you were in your last days in office here in the Ahrtal may be a coincidence. I don't believe in coincidences," said the mayor of the city Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Guido Orthen. "It might rather be a sign that the Ahrtal, the flood disaster of July '21, and the time of rebuilding after that marked the last phase of your tenure." Dreyer received, among other things, a wine bottle from 2021 - the year of the flood.
What's new with the rebuilding?
Three years after the disaster, there are still many construction sites in the Ahrtal. At the end of 2025, trains should be running again on the entire Ahrtal railway line, according to the railway in Frankfurt. Modern leading and safety technology is also gradually taking hold, as the trains will then run electrically on the entire route.
Minister Michael Ebling and Minister of Education Stefanie Hubig (both SPD) handed over 18 grant certificates worth around 104 million Euros for the rebuilding of schools to the Ahrweiler district. Other ministers also brought grant certificates to the Ahrtal.
How do the affected people evaluate the state government?
Despite all the heartfelt words at the meeting - the people in the affected areas are far from satisfied with the work of the state government. According to a representative survey by the Opinion Research Institute Infratest Dimap on behalf of SWR, 71 percent of the interviewees stated that they were dissatisfied with the crisis management of the state government in the days after the flood disaster. Only a fifth (20 percent) came to a positive judgment.
Not only the crisis management of the government was criticized by the inhabitants of the affected districts according to the survey. Also in the districts of Ahrweiler, Bernkastel-Wittlich, Bitburg-Prüm, Vulkaneifel, Trier-Saarburg and the city of Trier, problems with the rebuilding were mentioned. In the particularly affected district of Ahrweiler, 72 percent of the interviewees stated that the state government was not fulfilling its responsibility for the rebuilding. From all interviewees, 65 percent made this statement. Only 28 percent evaluated the rebuilding positively.
During the flood disaster in mid-July 2021, 136 people had lost their lives in Rhineland-Palatinate, of whom 135 were in the Ahr-Region and one in the Trier area. One person is still missing. In the neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, 49 people died due to heavy rain-induced flooding. Thousands of houses were destroyed, roads and bridges were washed away. Schools and kindergartens were also affected.
What do the politicians and politicians have to say about this?
Neither Dreyer nor Schweitzer made any comments regarding the criticism, and queries from journalists and journalistesses were not welcomed.
Minister of Economics Daniela Schmitt (FDP) pondered some of the survey results. For there had been quite a bit happening in the rebuilding process. "Perhaps we need to take another look at communication with the various levels to ensure that it becomes more tangible and more widely known for the people," she said. "That's an important point that we should also focus on during this anniversary."
People in positions of political responsibility are always the first targets of anger, criticism, and hostility, said Orthen at the meeting of mayors. "But it's part of our duty to stand in the fire for the state."
What's next for Schweitzer in the Ahr Valley?
This will be the responsibility of Schweitzer's successor in the future. He has already pledged that the rebuilding effort will remain a government priority in the future, said the Minister-President. "That's a given. That's the promise from the very beginning, and we will continue to uphold this promise."
Schweitzer attended two engagements in the Ahr Valley after the meeting: In Lind, he dedicated a mobile phone mast, and in Sinzig, he visited a restored facility for the elderly and disabled. He himself did not speak to the press.
- Malu Dreyer spent her last day as Ministerpresident in the Ahr Valley, which was heavily affected by a flood disaster three years ago.
- At a meeting of the Ministers Council in Dernau, Dreyer expressed her gratitude to the mayors and mayors for their contributions in the Ahr Valley.
- Alexander Schweitzer, Dreyer's designated successor, was also present at the meeting and received a wine bottle from 2021 as a token of appreciation.
- Despite the ongoing rebuilding efforts, 71% of the interviewees expressed dissatisfaction with the state government's crisis management and rebuilding efforts, according to a survey by the Opinion Research Institute Infratest Dimap.
- The Ahr Valley still has many construction sites, and the railway expects trains to be running on the entire Ahrtal railway line by the end of 2025.
- Ministers Michael Ebling and Stefanie Hubig handed over 18 grant certificates worth around 104 million Euros for school rebuilding in the Ahrweiler district.
- After the meeting, Schweitzer attended engagements in the Ahr Valley, dedicating a mobile phone mast in Lind and visiting a restored facility for the elderly and disabled in Sinzig.
