Eco-friendly politicians are trying to make a new start in Hanover – protest

Former family minister

Anne Spiegel tried to start over – and hit a roadblock

Because of her role in the Ahrtal flood, Anne Spiegel lost her ministerial post. Now the Green Party politician wants to get a well-paid job in the public service.

Three and a half years after her impressive departure from federal politics, Green Party politician Anne Spiegel wants to restart her post as head of the Hanover district’s social affairs department. However, there is resistance to this. Ahead of the elections scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, demonstrators have installed 135 crosses and tomb lights in Opera Square in the center of the capital of the state of Lower Saxony. The cross represents the victims of the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley in 2021.

Spiegel was then Minister of the Environment in Rhineland-Pfalz – and was partly responsible, for example, for the lack of a warning system. But when disaster struck Spiegel, he was already the federal family minister for the traffic light coalition. In an effort to address the Ahrtal flood, internal text messages became public giving the impression that Spiegel was more concerned with his image after the flood than with helping the victims. It was later discovered that Spiegel had gone on holiday with his family not long after the flood.

In the spring of 2022, public pressure on Spiegel increased. He was entangled in contradictions and falsely claimed that he had attended a cabinet meeting via video link during his holiday. On April 10, 2022, Spiegel attempted an attack, but their live performance turned into a disaster.

Spiegel apparently did not realize that his appearance before journalists was broadcast live. So at the end of his seemingly disorganized appearance, he turned to the side and said to his employees: “Now I’m just thinking about whether I should do something… Now I have to get it done somehow…” A day later he submitted his resignation. So now there is an attempt to stage a political comeback at the local level.

Spiegel apparently expected resistance. “I realized that I started with a handicap,” he told the “Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung” in mid-October. However, he is confident that he can and will do a lot of good in his new role as head of social affairs at the Hanover regional association. Party friends highlighted the vacancy in the position of Head of Social Services. According to the information of “Bild”, Spiegel’s income would correspond to salary group 7 (B7), namely up to 11,648.93 euros gross per month. The exact height can vary.

Whether Spiegel’s criticism can prevent his return will be seen on Tuesday from 2 p.m. when the county council meets for elections. This corresponds to the district council for the Hanover district. Most of the 84 seats are held by the CDU/FDP (27 seats), the SPD (25 seats) and the Green Party (18 seats).