Raunheim: Politics remains poisonous after the failed vote-out of Mayor Rendel

No, there will be no fair and peaceful coexistence in Raunheim in the future for all those who, as elected representatives of the citizens, are supposed to be concerned with the successful development of the community in the town hall. Already in the hours after the vote-out motion against Mayor David Rendel (SPD), which failed due to the quorum, the next farce showed how much mistrust still exists between those involved. Because some Rendel opponents came across shredded paper in the town hall basement after the election results, which they considered unsatisfactory, were announced, the police were even called on Sunday. An investigation is now underway “on suspicion of falsifying election documents”. However, it is not yet possible to say what kind of find it actually is. Just this much: Supporters of the long-controversial mayor would be pretty stupid if they had stored bags of election documents they had destroyed themselves in the basement of the administration building.

No matter how you twist it, the atmosphere in the town hall of the city with more than 15,000 inhabitants is so toxic that everyone involved would like to advise them to resign from their respective positions. On the one hand, there is the mayor, who, according to the current situation - because many, but not enough, Raunheim residents wanted him out of office - is now allowed to continue until 2029. And there are representatives of the four factions: Raunheim, CDU, Greens and UMMA, who have wanted to overthrow the controversial Rendel for months and also initiated the now failed referendum vote; But if you look at it more closely, they are actually still working on the difficult legacy of the former SPD mayor, Thomas Jühe, who died unexpectedly in 2022.

As long as politics in Raunheim is dominated by lawsuits and counterclaims, intrigues, allegations and suspicions, as well as city council resolutions and their immediate repeal, there is no improvement in sight. And Rendel's party, which primarily distinguishes itself from its own mayor, does not need to hope that the SPD in the city could at some point return to its former strength with this behavior. So it is currently left to outsiders like Rüsselsheim Mayor Patrick Burghardt (CDU) to give neighbors good advice: for example, pull themselves together, approach each other and perhaps try mediation.