The mayor of Frankfurt, Peter Feldmann (SPD), who is under great pressure because of an indictment by the public prosecutor's office and allegations of sexism, does not want to resign from his office.

He made mistakes and is rightly criticized, said Feldmann, who read a statement in front of his office.

He wants to continue to devote himself to the "big social issues", but will refrain from representative appointments until the end of the summer break.

Rainer Schulz

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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His own party had previously asked him to resign.

Feldmann has been criticized for his involvement in the workers' welfare affair, but also for a series of public missteps.

The public prosecutor's office has filed charges against the mayor on suspicion of taking advantage.

She accuses him of having used his position to get his partner at the time and later wife a job as a day-care center manager for the Arbeiterwohlfahrt, including a company car, which is paid above the standard wage rate.

In addition, the Arbeiterwohlfahrt is said to have supported him in the election campaign by raising donations.

This local political affair has also gained nationwide relevance in recent weeks through questionable public appearances.

Feldmann, who actually wanted to hold back from public appearances because of the indictment, pushed himself to the fore and behaved awkwardly at the reception of the European Cup winner Eintracht Frankfurt on the Römerberg.

In the past few days, demands for the resignation of the Frankfurt mayor had increased.

The current trigger was a lewd speech to Eintracht fans on the flight to the European Cup final in Seville, which had brought Feldmann the accusation of sexism.

He had said the flight attendants put him "hormonally incapacitated".

Despite an apology, the outrage did not abate.

Not only did the opposition and coalition partners demand his immediate resignation, his own party did as well.

Before his statement, the Working Group of Social Democratic Women (ASF) in Frankfurt had withdrawn its support from the SPD politician.

In an open letter published on Wednesday, the ASF asked Feldmann to look into himself and draw the necessary conclusions.

"We can no longer support you," it says, according to dpa.

The statement in which he said about flight attendants that they "put him out of action hormonally at first" was shameful.

The ASF was appalled and distanced itself from it.

"We condemn sexist behavior in any form and that's why we've been formulating a motion on this topic for our district party conference for weeks.

We are all the more stunned to have to realize that our application has become up-to-date so quickly," writes the working group.

"It hits us hard that one of us, our mayor, whom we have always supported, derailed like this."