Secrecy under fire in Solinger city council meetings calls into question the health of democracy
In the heart of Germany, the Citizens' Community for Solingen e.V. (BCS) has voiced its concerns over the appointment process of a key departmental post in the city administration. The local election is scheduled for September 14, 2025, and the BCS has proposed that the decision on this crucial position be left to the newly elected city council. However, this proposal has been met with rejection by SPD, Greens, Left, CDU, and FDP.
Jan Salewski, BCS press spokesman, has reiterated the organisation's stance against the appointment being made behind closed doors. The BCS perceives the actions of the aforementioned parties as bypassing the electorate and creating facts quickly before the election.
The BCS advocates for openness, democratic control, and transparency in local politics, and has expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in the appointment process. The organisation also criticises decisions being rammed through party-politically without open discussion, and considers the decision to make the appointment before the election as undemocratic and opaque.
The rejection of a search committee by SPD, Greens, Left, CDU, and FDP has been identified as a factor reducing transparency and involvement in the appointment process. The BCS believes that if a decision is to be made about one of the most important positions in the city administration, it should be with the political legitimacy of a freshly elected city council.
The BCS has further accused those involved in the decision-making process of having something to hide by refusing transparency. The organisation stands against quick decisions being made before the local election on September 14, 2025, and emphasises its commitment to an administration serving the city, not the parties.
The BCS continues to express its determination to fight for its cause, reaffirming its stance against the appointment being made without the involvement of the electorate. The local election in Solingen is fast approaching, and the BCS hopes for a more transparent and democratic process in the future.
The Citizens' Community for Solingen e.V. (BCS) insists on the transparency of policy-and-legislation related decisions in local politics, expressing concerns about the appointment process of a key departmental post. Jan Salewski, BCS press spokesman, has criticized the secrecy in the decision-making process, with the BCS perceiving it as politically motivated general-news that bypasses the electorate.
