Jutta Ditfurth is not an oracle.

Many of its positions are too controversial for it to be considered a wise authority.

But there's one thing you really can't deny about the Frankfurt politician, who has come a long way from founding the Greens to the left-wing splinter group Ökolinx: political experience.

She is not a political advisor, she said smugly at the most recent meeting of the city parliament, when the prosecutor's charge against Mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) was debated - and about his possibly imminent resignation.

Of course, Ditfurth immediately added a "but": "But I advise the SPD: close the sack and don't damage your next candidate in advance."

Rainer Schulz

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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So Ditfurth advises the SPD to get rid of Feldmann.

For reasons of election tactics: Of course, with a view to the next mayoral election, it would be wise to draw a line as soon as possible.

Because the longer Feldmann is in office, the greater the shadow that he and the AWO affair cast on the party's internal candidate who is to succeed him.

It is considered impossible that Feldmann, whose term of office expires in the summer of 2024, will start again.

And the SPD would really be ill-advised to set it up again.

His successor must have as few points of contact as possible with the AWO entanglements, should the SPD in the city ever be able to win again.

SPD in a dilemma

Get rid of Feldmann - that's easy to say.

The SPD is in a quandary, they don't know what to do next.

This can be seen in how the party executive has reacted so far: the presumption of innocence applies to the mayor, he asserts.

If the regional court allows the proceedings after the indictment, which is to be assumed up to now, the party wants to reassess the situation.

This bought her a few more weeks.

But at the latest then it will have to come to an oath.

What happens then, there are two scenarios.

Either the party calls for Feldmann to resign in order to avert further damage to the office and the party.

Or she goes through with him because she is loyal to him and believes in his innocence.

That would be a risky bet, though.

"Only Peter Feldmann knows the truth," said SPD parliamentary group leader Ursula Busch at the city council.

In addition, the party urgently needs to shed ballast if it wants to start the election campaign with relative ease.

"I'm not guilty, I'm not corrupt either."

In the worst case, it could be even more dramatic.

Because it is not said that the mayor will resign voluntarily, even if he is asked to do so by his own party.

Feldmann is almost immune to criticism, he has his own compass of values ​​and no good feeling for moods.

And he is deeply convinced that the prosecutor's office is treating him badly.

The allegations are unfounded and excessive, he said.

"I'm not guilty, I'm not corrupt either." He wants to prove that in court.

Feldmann hardly owes his party a favor.

His rise in the SPD did not come with the support of the party leadership: In 2012, they actually wanted to send their candidate Michael Paris in the race for mayor, and not Feldmann.

But he prevailed in the internal party competition - and not only won the first election, but was even confirmed in office in 2018 with 70 percent of the votes.

In view of these values, Feldmann should also be relaxed about being voted out.

So he could actually sit out the matter.

The SPD is in a quandary, caught up in a conflict of loyalties: between the mayor and his possible successor.

The party can only get out of this precarious situation if Feldmann lets it and resigns voluntarily.

That would be reasonable. But Feldmann is known for doing the opposite of what is expected of him.

It looks bad for the SPD.