Neustrelitz: AfD starts advance for more participation in the alliance!

Neustrelitz: AfD starts advance for more participation in the alliance!

In Neustrelitz, the city representative meeting caused a sensation on Thursday. At first, the session went quickly until an application from the AfD faction came to the parquet. The AfD demands that both the main committee and the mayor have a say in filling the advisory board for the well -known federal program "Democracy!" should receive. This program, which has been active since 2015, supports countless projects to promote democracy, tolerance and diversity.

Another decisive detail was the decision to rename the advisory board into "Alliance" in the future. When asked, it became clear that the city representatives are no longer allowed to sit in the alliance, unless they represent civil society organizations. Members of the alliance could include schools, social institutions or senior citizens' and youth advisory boards. Mayor Andreas Grund and the equal opportunities officer each have one vote, while two heads of office submit their voice together.

controversy about new regulations

The discussion about the AfD's application was not without tensions. Ernst-August from the Wense, a lawyer from the city administration, made it clear that the mayor had to contradict the proposal because the new rules had been determined by the federal government. The AfD parliamentary group criticizes the new committee as an undemocratic, especially since funding from urban means. Mayor Grund was dissatisfied with the regulation, because according to the municipal constitution, the city council is obliged to appoint members in honorary offices. This collides with the new federal specifications that want to promote civil society participation beyond political parties.

As part of the meeting, Mayor Max Odebrecht asked relevant questions about the composition of the alliance. Thies BusSert from the AfD emphasized that the topic is not about the city representatives themselves, but about the order and selection of the members. Andreas Petter from CDU/FDP also raised questions about the determination of the actors in the alliance. The mayor informed that the administration has been dealing with these questions since January, which indicates a persistent uncertainty.

The federal program "Live democracy!"

The program "Live democracy!" Is the largest funding program of this kind in Europe with a budget of 182 million euros in the Federal Budget 2023. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs and has set itself the goal of strengthening democracy and taking action against hatred on the Internet as well as conspiracy theories. On March 3, 2023, 100 new projects nationwide were launched that deal with these topics in order to strengthen social cohesion. There are up to 100,000 euros per year available for each project, which illustrates the dimensions of this initiative.

In another part of the Republic, events such as the inclusive sports festival "Place for Diversity" are set for Integration and accessibility. Together with the SV Günding and the district youth ring Dachau, the festival is organized to promote uncategorized coexistence of children and adolescents and to reduce barriers. Such initiatives are proof of the commitment of civil society actors who stand up for harmonious coexistence.

It remains to be seen whether the AfD penetrates with its application or whether the new regulations will last in the long term. However, it is clear that the dialogue for the \ “Alliance \” and the role of the city representatives in Neustrelitz will continue to be on the political agenda.