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Esslingen is ending: resistance stops the fifth mayoral position!
Esslingen stops plans for a fifth mayoral position after resistance in the local council. Mayor Klopfer suspends consultations.
Esslingen is ending: resistance stops the fifth mayoral position!
In Esslingen, plans to create a fifth mayoral position were ultimately stopped after strong resistance arose in the local council. Mayor Matthias Klopfer announced that consultations on the new department structure would be discontinued. A large majority of the local council was originally in favor of the project, but that support collapsed, leading Klopfer to revise the proposal. He emphasized that the project could only be implemented successfully if all four major factions were united behind the idea. These factions include the CDU, the GREENS, the SPD and the Free Voters, who jointly developed the proposal to strengthen the administration's efficiency and proximity to the citizens.
The first public discussion of the proposal took place in the administrative committee on May 12th. The aim was to pool tasks and resources to ensure more effective administration. There are currently four departments in Esslingen, each of which covers specific areas of responsibility:
| Department | Line |
|---|---|
| General administration | Mayor Matthias Klopfer |
| Urban infrastructure, construction and the environment | Mayor Hans-Georg Sigel |
| Finance, digitalization, public transport and clinic | First Mayor Ingo Rust |
| Order, social affairs, education, culture and sport | Yalcin Bayraktar |
Financial aspects and costs
The total costs for the new mayor's position would have been estimated at around 180,000 euros per year, with a gross salary of 10,841 euros per month planned in accordance with the state municipal salary law. The plan stipulated that the introduction of the fifth department could be carried out cost-neutrally by using unfilled positions. Despite the considerations to introduce this new position, investments in daycare centers, schools and infrastructure should not be reduced. Over the next four years, the city of Esslingen plans to invest over 600 million euros in various areas such as infrastructure and digitalization.
Compared to other cities, Esslingen is in a special position. While Ludwigsburg plans to reduce from four to three departments, Esslingen has both a higher number of employees and a larger balance sheet volume. The right to propose the mayor's position would lie with the CDU parliamentary group, which is considered the strongest force in the local council. However, the decision to introduce the new department would have required an absolute majority in the local council.
Given the current tense political situation and angry public opinion, it remains to be seen how the city of Esslingen will deal with the issue of departmental structure in the future. Opposition to the proposal could trigger new discussions and reflections on a more effective administrative structure.