Six weeks is a long time, even if it seems shorter to some than to others.

Hessen is now in the summer holidays.

However, the country will hardly come to rest, as it did a year before the pandemic, and neither will its largest municipality.

The corona virus, the gas crisis and the decision of the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt, Peter Feldmann (SPD), not to accept his decision by the city council to vote out, all contribute to this.

In the past few weeks, Feldmann had not exactly been consistent in his decisions and communication.

However, if he had shown fickleness this time and, contrary to his announced intentions, had left office on Friday night, very few would have held it against him.

Instead, he did what he promised after the municipal parliament voted to vote him out of office by an overwhelming majority: he let the deadline for accepting the motion to vote expire.

Now, on November 6th, the citizens of Frankfurt will be able to decide whether Feldmann has to give up his position.

The hurdle is not exactly low;

30 percent of those entitled to vote must vote accordingly.

Represent your own positions clearly and with integrity

The organization of the decision of the citizens to implement is expensive, one and a half million euros are estimated for it.

The parliamentary groups and city councilors who initiated the motion to vote out and voted for him now hold Feldmann responsible for this burden on the city coffers, and he in turn blames them.

This is a political game or also: the politically normal course of things.

It is well known that in this case he could have been prevented and that Feldmann could have done so.

In the weeks and months leading up to November 6, it will be important for everyone involved to present their own positions clearly and with integrity.

It is obvious that a mayor who will appear in court in October on suspicion of accepting an advantage is entering the race with a moral disadvantage.

Nothing is said about the outcome of the process.

But whatever that will be like, the burden that Feldmann burdens his city with by wanting to hold the reins to the end will have to be borne for a long time to come.