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Bürgergemeinschaft für Solingen e.V. (BfS) Champions Transparency and Participation in Upcoming Local Elections
The Bürgergemeinschaft für Solingen e.V. (BfS), a local political group in Solingen, Germany, is gearing up for the 2025 local elections with a focus on enhancing transparency in municipal governance and strengthening citizen participation.
Key Positions and Stance
The BfS advocates for open, clear, and accessible communication about city administration and decision-making processes. They push for greater public access to information about budget allocations, urban development projects, and council deliberations. The group emphasizes the importance of involving local residents more directly in the governance of Solingen, supporting initiatives like public forums, citizen panels, referendums, and participatory budgeting.
Role in Increasing Transparency and Participation
The BfS frequently calls on the city council to adopt measures that make municipal procedures more transparent, such as publishing council meeting minutes promptly and enhancing digital access to city data. They organise informational events, workshops, and public discussions to inform residents about local political issues and encourage active involvement. As a watchdog, BfS scrutinises local government operations and holds elected officials accountable to their promises and policies. They work together with other civic organisations and community groups to broaden the scope and impact of citizen involvement in Solingen.
A Call for Change
Martin Bender, chairman of the BfS e.V., states that the vote in 2025 will be a reckoning. Ideology and self-interest have taken precedence over the needs of the people in Solingen, according to the BfS. The people of Solingen have the choice to show the established parties that there is another way. The BfS is positioned as a civic force of the political centre ready to take responsibility.
A Long-Standing Presence
The Bürgergemeinschaft für Solingen e.V. (BfS) has been active in Solingen for over 25 years, representing the issues of Solingen residents in the city council and town hall. They have been vocal about the significant loss of trust among Solingen residents towards politics. Despite controversies within the CDU and SPD, the BfS does not mention any involvement in these matters.
Invitation to Engage
The BfS invites those who want more transparency, citizen orientation, and citizen participation to engage with them. The local election for the Solingen city council will take place on September 14, 2025. The BfS promises to continue fighting against self-interest and ideology taking precedence in Solingen politics.
- The Bürgergemeinschaft für Solingen e.V. (BfS) advocates for open and clear communication regarding city administration policy-and-legislation, emphasizing the importance of public access to information about budget allocations, urban development projects, and council deliberations.
- To increase the transparency and citizen participation in Solingen politics, the BfS frequently calls on the city council to adopt measures such as publishing council meeting minutes promptly, enhancing digital access to city data, and organizing informational events, workshops, and public discussions to inform residents about local issues.