The pragmatist who learned from the fish
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fromDennis Pfeiffer-Goldmann
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Roman series – Today Sebastian Papke (FDP) 50 new politicians are in the city council’s assembly of 93 parliamentarians. They are portrayed here in a weekly series. Today: Sebastian Papke (FDP)
Frankfurt – There is only one pool with fish in the office in Hausen. Sebastian Papke (39) once bred dwarf shrimp in bulk. He’s now mothballed the plans for an entire wall of aquariums. The FDP politician does not have the time. Among other things, because he has been spending many hours every week for his new honorary position since spring: as a city councilor and even vice-parliamentary leader of the FDP in the Römer.
Papke has long been one of the central forces of the liberals in the city – since 2015 as Krieger district chairman, he has also been active on the board of the Young Liberals for a long time. He has also been involved in urban politics for some time: from 2012 to this March he was a member of the 7 local advisory board (Hausen, Industriehof, Praunheim, Rödelheim, Westhausen), which led the parliamentary group in the previous electoral term. Papke made the leap into the Römer in the third attempt: “This is a dream come true to take on responsibility for my hometown.” But eat up the many meetings. So it is a good thing that the office of his “small property manager” called “Casa PM” is housed in his home. So the way is short to take some time in between for his family, his wife and the two boys, two and a half and four and a half years old.
Papke’s company does conversions and small project developments. So it fits well that the parents, who have lived in Vogelsberg for a long time, continue to run their architecture office in Frankfurt. The junior studied technical building management in Mainz, building on an apprenticeship as a property and housing management clerk.
It was only natural that he took over the work of the parliamentary group as the spokesperson for planning policy. It’s not always easy, although the FDP is now in government with the Greens, SPD and Volt. There are many people who believe in conviction, especially among the Greens. “As a pragmatist, I often reach my limits.” If, for example, Greens are generally against sealing surfaces. But this is necessary IF more apartments are to be built so that purchase prices and rents do not continue to explode.
The coalition is convinced
Nevertheless: he is convinced of the coalition. “The basic direction” of the four partners is the same, for example for the goal of creating more living space. Yes, also in the Güntherburghöfe in the north end, the green base tipped over at the end of last year. Still, construction should be carried out, albeit on a smaller scale and only on areas that are already built-up, reminiscent of Papke. “That is a decision,” says the coalition agreement.
The FDP also wants to push through very liberal goals in the coalition. And make sure, for example, that the mania for regulation in future statutes does not become too great, announces Papke. That is why the heads of department for planning and the environment, Mike Josef (SPD) and Rosemarie Heilig (Greens) are being whistled back: After sharp criticism, their free space statutes are now being reviewed again. “We want to encourage investment, not slow it down.”
Papke admits that the FDP base expects something like this and of course puts him under pressure. But that spurs him on. And he is learning, like many new city councilors, that he now has to be more careful about what he is saying. “Because it is important when you say something.” With so much politics, he sighs the politician, he sighs not enough to play sports.
He is a passionate tennis player and even a department head at FTG. Like the aquarium hobby, he hardly ever comes to play football with the old men of the ESC Blau-Gold. He learned a lot from her, says Sebastian Papke. About habitats, rivers, the environment, ecology. Even some seemingly simple findings such as: “Trees grow back” and do not have to prevent any residential construction projects. The dwarf shrimp were an important source of Papke’s pragmatism.
Dennis Pfeiffer-Goldmann