- The youngest mayor resigned - "Lack of necessary strength"
At 24, he was Germany's youngest full-time mayor in 2022 - now, Lucas Halle is stepping down as the mayor of the 14,000-resident town of Zehdenick (Circle Oberhavel). "Health reasons" were cited by the mayor for this decision, according to the city's announcement following Halle's resignation request. Several media outlets had previously reported this.
Halle (SPD) announced his immediate resignation on Instagram: "Unfortunately, I currently do not have the necessary strength to represent the city as required in these challenging times." He described this decision as the most difficult of his life, breaking his heart.
Halle had been ill for several months and resumed his duties in May. On Monday, the 27-year-old submitted his resignation request to the chairperson of the city council.
By doing so, he waives future pension payments and clears the way for swift new elections. The city council must first decide on Halle's resignation on September 12.
According to data from the network of young mayors based in Berlin, Halle was the youngest full-time mayor in all of Germany. He won the election in February 2022 with 88.3% of the votes, with a turnout of 27.6%.
In an interview with the German Press Agency in February 2023, one year into his term, Halle said: "I have a tremendous amount of fun doing this. I'm really into it." Although it's a lot of work, he finds it great to be shaping the development of the city at his age. Halle, who grew up in Zehdenick, completed a dual public administration degree at the Brandenburg state interior ministry after graduating from high school.
In an interview with the "Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung" some time ago, he said that deaths in his family and among his friends had been very challenging for him. Additionally, he received anonymous letters with insults and threats in connection with the debate about accommodating refugees.
Instagram proved to be a platform of choice for Mayor Lucas Halle, as he announced his resignation due to health reasons, expressing his regret about not having the required strength to fulfill his duties effectively.
Despite Instagram being a great place to start sharing his resignation announcement, Halle had previously shared his love for his role as mayor, finding joy in shaping the development of Zehdenick at such a young age.
