Awo scandal surrounding Frankfurt Mayor Feldmann: no trace of resignation – politics
In the past week, the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt, Peter Feldmann (SPD), had a few nice appointments in his calendar, for example on Wednesday. The Löwen Frankfurt celebrated their championship victory in the second ice hockey league on the town hall balcony, and Feldmann celebrated with them. There are photos of the team and him, wearing a suit and a fan scarf, holding the handle of the trophy.
None of this would be surprising, since a mayor does what a mayor does. It’s different with Peter Feldmann. For weeks, the media has been less interested in his congratulations to sports teams — “well roared, lions” — and more in the Awo scandal he’s at the center of.
In March, the Frankfurt public prosecutor’s office brought charges against Feldmann on suspicion of taking advantage. The allegation: The mayor is said to have used his position to get his famous partner and later wife a job as head of a day-care center for workers’ welfare (Awo). “Without any objective reason” they received a salary that exceeded the standard pay scale and a company car. In addition, Awo is said to have supported Feldmann in the 2018 election campaign. He is said to have “tacitly agreed” with her that as mayor he “will benevolently consider the interests of Awo Frankfurt”.
Last week, the public prosecutor’s office arrived at the mayor’s office with a search warrant. The report was hardly in the world when Feldmann’s spokesman tried to make the unusual process look a little more ordinary: Yes, the public prosecutor’s office was there, yes, a police officer too. “However, the mayor’s office and private rooms were not searched.” Further questions? The public prosecutor’s office specified in the “Hessenschau” that Feldmann behaved cooperatively and promised to release the requested documents. The search warrant did not have to be carried out.
Feldmann will stay until 2024
And Peter Feldman? He described the allegations against himself as “baseless” and “excessive”. He wants to remain mayor until 2024, but then no longer compete, he refuses to resign. Should an indictment be allowed, he would let his party membership rest.
Of course, that’s not enough for everyone. Starting with the opposition, which has been demanding his resignation for weeks. “It’s about averting damage to this city,” said the parliamentary group leader of the Frankfurt CDU. The coalition partners of the FDP, Volt, Greens followed, and with each new criticism, displeasure in the SPD also increased. Their Frankfurt party executive explains that there must be consequences if the court allows a main trial. She calls on Feldmann in this case “to make the well-being of the city the guideline for his actions and to resign from office”.
So while there is hardly anyone around the Römerberg who has not yet said anything about the Feldmann case, he himself continues as if nothing happened. This Thursday, according to the diary, he will present a “master plan” – but not on his own behalf, it’s about how Frankfurt’s city center should develop.