Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) - Frankfurt's mayor, Peter Feldmann (SPD), who has been accused of corruption, commented on his announced resignation on Friday. A city spokesman announced on Thursday. Feldmann announced his retirement for early 2023 during a trip to Vietnam on Tuesday. He will apply next January to end his term of office at the end of the month, the controversial politician said in the announcement.
A trial against Feldmann begins on October 18 at the Frankfurt Regional Court. In March, the public prosecutor's office filed charges based on sufficient suspicion of accepting an advantage. Feldmann's wife, as the head of a daycare center run by the Frankfurt Workers' Welfare Association (AWO), received a salary that exceeded the collective agreement "for no objective reason," it said. In addition, according to the public prosecutor's office, the AWO is said to have supported Feldmann in the 2018 election campaign by raising donations. In return, he wanted to "benevolently consider" the interests of AWO Frankfurt.
Criticism of Feldmann arose as soon as the AWO scandal became known, which is the subject of separate investigations by the public prosecutor. Feldmann had denied all allegations. His announcement that he would retire in early 2023 was met with relief within his own party. After months of discussion about Feldmann as a person, the Roman coalition can now turn to substantive issues again, said Frankfurt SPD leader Mike Josef.
