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Darmstadt's mayor Benz warns of loss of trust in politics
43rd general meeting of the German City Day in Hanover ended with a clear appeal to the federal and state governments on Thursday (May 15th) Under the motto "Together we are city", the delegates demanded more financial scope, greater freedom of design and an expansion of digital administration .
Mayor Hanno Benz , Mayor Barbara Akdeniz , city treasurer André Schellenberg , environmental director Michael Kolmer and head of mobility Paul Georg Wandrey also took part in the meeting.
"Municipalities are the place where people experience politics directly," said Mayor Hanno Benz . "If infrastructure falls, savings impair everyday life and lack innovations, this is perceived as a political failure - and thus also as a crisis of democracy."
Record deficits threaten municipal ability to act
declaration of the city day adopted calls for the municipalities to support the municipalities much more financially . The background is the record deficit of 25 billion euros nationwide , which the municipalities recorded in 2024. Darmstadt is also currently 36 million euros .
Benz in particular criticized the mismatch between tasks and income:
"The municipalities take a quarter of all government benefits, but only receive a seventh of the income."
The Annual General Meeting also emphasized the central role of cities in digital transformation , climate protection and mobility as well as in social services . In order to do justice to all of this, municipal action must be strengthened less bureaucracy and more scope for decision -making
(Darmstadt - Red/PSD)
