Local elections - Association gets "voice locomotive" Palmer
Tübingen's Lord Mayor Boris Palmer is running for the list of the Free Voters Association (FWV) in the constituency of Tübingen in the local elections in Baden-Württemberg on June 9, 2024, Palmer announced on Monday in Tübingen. He said of his motivation: "It's about money." A district levy of 60 million euros is planned for the coming year. In the district council, he could have a say in the amount of the district levy and how much money would flow back into his city for projects. It makes sense for the Lord Mayor to sit on the district council.
The chairman of the FWV parliamentary group in the district council, Thomas Hölsch, said that Palmer was a "vote locomotive" for the Free Voters Association. "We are delighted that Boris Palmer will be joining us next year and will of course achieve the best possible result for constituency 1 for Tübingen and also for the entire parliamentary group." The FWV would like to become the strongest parliamentary group in the district council in the next local elections. The Free Voters Association currently has 16 seats there, while the Greens are currently the strongest party with 18 seats. Palmer said that his aim was not to weaken the Greens.
According to Palmer, the district finances are in a deep slump - and the municipalities are being dragged down with them. "The state and federal government are responsible for this downward spiral. Because they are transferring more and more tasks to us that we are supposed to pay for but cannot. And there are tough distribution battles ahead," said Palmer. He had already considered getting involved in the district council in the past. "But it was out of the question because it was clear from my previous party membership that the party's basic line was: mayors out of the district council."
Palmer went on to explain that he was actually also doubly concerned about money. "It's about the district budget and the city budget, and it's about membership of the administrative board of the district savings bank." He has now been on the board of directors of the Kreissparkasse for 15 years and was delegated there by the Green parliamentary group in the district council. It was clear that this appointment could no longer continue after he left the party. However, membership of the Board of Directors and in particular the Credit Committee had been very important for his performance in office in recent years. "That's why I asked the parliamentary group whether I could run on their list and whether I could pursue the goal of being delegated by the parliamentary group to the district, to the administrative board of the Kreissparkasse. We agreed that I could pursue this goal." The rest depends on the election result. "The better that is, including my personal result, the better the prospects of being appointed to the Board of Directors."
His need to join a party is close to zero at the moment, said Palmer. The only grouping in which one does not have to become a party member, does not have to become a member of a federal political organization in the district council of Tübingen, is the Free Voters Association. "Quite simple," said Palmer.
According to Hölsch, the Freie Wähler Vereinigung (FWV) has nothing to do with the Freie Wähler party. The FWV was founded in the 1950s. After the Federal Association of Free Voters was formed in 2010, the FWV wanted to have the name "Freie Wähler" protected because it feared a possible risk of confusion as harmful to itself. However, the Nuremberg-Fürth Regional Court ruled against this in 2010. The Federal Association of Free Voters was then allowed to use the term "Free Voters" for itself.
Palmer (51) has been Lord Mayor of Tübingen since 2007. He won his third term in office as head of the town hall in October 2022 as an independent candidate in the mayoral elections. In May of this year, the politician resigned from the Green Party following a scandal over the use of the N-word at a migration conference in Frankfurt. His membership had already been suspended due to provocative statements. He took a month's sabbatical in June. He had also sought professional help.
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- Palmer mentioned that his motivation for running for the Free Voters Association in the local election in Tübingen's constituency was due to the proposed district levy of 60 million euros, as he could influence the amount of the levy and the funds allocated to his city for projects in the district council.
- Hölsch, the chairman of the FWV parliamentary group in the district council, praised Palmer as a "vote locomotive" for the Free Voters Association, expressing excitement for his upcoming membership and the potential for a strong parliamentary group in the district council.
- Palmer explained that he had considered joining the district council in the past but was unable to due to his party's stance on mayors being excluded. However, he was now able to run as a candidate for the Free Voters Association, thanks to their non-party membership requirement.
- Palmer further explained that his concern for money extended beyond just the district budget, as he also held a position on the administrative board of the district savings bank, which would likely end upon his departure from the Green Party.
- The FWV currently has 16 seats in the district council, with the Greens being the strongest party with 18 seats. Palmer stated that his goal was not to weaken the Greens, but rather to improve the district finances and potentially secure a seat on the district savings bank's Board of Directors.
- Hölsch clarified that the Freie Wähler Vereinigung (FWV) is a separate entity from the Freie Wähler party, and that the former had been founded in the 1950s despite the latter's later establishment and use of the "Free Voters" name.
Source: www.stern.de
