District Administrator criticizes finger-pointing and calls for a change of course after European and local elections

In view of the outcome of the European and local elections, the District Administrator of Central Saxony, Dirk Neubauer, has criticized the blame placed on the traffic lights in Berlin and called for a change of course in the Free State. He expects "a real answer as to what we want to do differently here", said the independent local politician in Freiberg on Wednesday. "If we are surprised that people are expressing their anger, it has a lot to do with the dysfunction that we have organized here." Not because municipalities are unable to manage certain things to their satisfaction, but because they have not been given the opportunity to do so for a long time.

"The real question here is: do citizens feel that we have an idea of where we are going, that we know their problems and, above all, that we have the power to solve them," said Neubauer. With a view to the state elections in September, this is "the only chance to restore credibility and honesty". And he believes politicians in the country have a duty to do this, including self-reflection. "We should talk about how we solve the problems here, and there are plenty of them."

The election result had been foreseeable for a long time, "there's nothing to gloss over", said Neubauer, who fears a "far-reaching impact" for September. "With this tailwind effect, it will be very difficult to initiate a change in perspective at state level." In light of this, he appealed: "It should be clear to everyone by now at the latest that this has become a valid issue, that a society is changing drastically and dramatically, with all the consequences."

According to Neubauer, it is therefore important that the municipal level works, as this is where citizens feel the state. In view of the changed political situation, he questioned the neutrality requirement for public officials. It is "absurd" if mayors or district councillors are supposed to stay completely out of the election campaign, but on the other hand have to allow themselves to be insulted.