Cologne Stadtwerke case: Commentary – it takes clear rules against the Postenklüngel

The term deadlock in chess means an indissoluble position of the figures, which is noted as a draw. In this situation, the treatment of the case Stadtwerke Cologne seems to be guilty. This is a testimony against a statement that came to light during the last-minute badignment of a highly paid CEO position to SPD House Leader Martin Börschel. Mayor Henriette Reker is clearly positioned as the content of a four-eyed conversation: she did not talk to Börschel about the aforementioned higher work.

The man who is at the center of the case draws attention to the confidentiality of the interview. Nevertheless, confidants and middlemen constantly sprinkle the version, Börschel informed the OB in advance of the planned Stadtwerke agreement. The escalation would occur if Börschel himself personally accused the OB of lying. Börschel will have to look for a new beginning

But even that would not have given anything. Börschel, who has been severely damaged in his credibility, will likely have leaked the integrity of the OB also from ugly stripes. Basically, however, he himself, the most powerful politician in the city, is the biggest loser of the scandal. Although he would be confident to hold a new chief position with the utilities, Börschel will not be able to compete with him in the current state of affairs – even if an order for an badessment declares the position itself useful

the political mudslide, which shook the city for weeks, opposed the Börschels change. Incidentally, it is also difficult to imagine that a qualified candidate will be found from the outside, as long as Börschel's name is still on the list. After the defeat of the SPD and his retirement as a parliamentary group leader at the Cologne Council, Börschel must seek a new start

The insolence is unprecedented

The biggest crisis of confidence of the politicians of Cologne is not resolved. The guards present an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust towards the city. The case and the way it is dealt once again expose the dramatic problem of Cologne with "good governance", the responsible governance of the city.

Of course, the idea would be naïve that elsewhere, real estate policy would not be tied to personnel agreements. But the boldness with which this has happened in the Stadtwerke case at OB, is unprecedented at the national level. All the more embarrbading that the leadership of the CDU, which like the Greens was involved in the Börschel case, act as if it had nothing to do with it and should contribute little to the problem. ;education.

The code of honor of the council members should be strengthened

The holiday book and the postal guards first – how to solve this problem that rejects Cologne again and again? It is probably only by strong impulses from the outside and a set of clear rules: the code of honor and the guide for board members should be strengthened. It is worth considering, for example, that Council politicians commit themselves to the top of municipal branches only after a minimum grace period of one year. At the state and federal level, there is such a phase of disintegration for politicians who want to take a job in business.