Self-initiated disciplinary proceedings: Interior Ministry suspends Göttingen SPD district administrator | EUROtoday

The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior has suspended the Göttingen district administrator Marcel Riethig (SPD). The background is allegations towards the politician’s administration. District councilors, amongst others, had lodged a grievance with the native authority supervisory authority towards the pinnacle of the district council, because the Ministry of the Interior confirmed.

The foundation for the suspension is disciplinary proceedings which were initiated. The short-term dismissal is an accompanying measure and never an evaluative preliminary dedication. According to the ministry, the disciplinary proceedings relate to 12 chosen allegations from the grievance letter. There is adequate factual proof of official misconduct. “Regardless of this, the presumption of innocence continues to apply to the district administrator,” a press launch from the ministry continued.

Further allegations are nonetheless being investigated. Three allegations have now been refuted. The Interior Ministry didn’t present any additional data, citing Riethig’s private rights.

In February, district councilors Doreen Questionl (Greens), Marlies Dornieden (CDU) and district councilor Conrad Finger (SPD), amongst others, handed over a letter of grievance to the native authority supervisory authority, because the district introduced. The letter ought to comprise a lot of exemplary information which can be meant to show official misconduct. Riethig rejected allegations of nepotism and authorized violations in a submit on social media.

An extraordinary assembly of the district council occurred within the night, which was additionally attended by Labor Minister Andreas Philippi (SPD). Riethig’s seat remained vacant, a district spokesman confirmed. Motions from numerous factions, which included a suspension of the district administrator, had been both withdrawn or adjusted. In an interview with the “Göttinger Tageblatt”, Riethig introduced that he wished to sue towards a suspension by the district council.

At the tip of February, Riethig withdrew his renewed candidacy for district administrator. Riethig was quoted as saying that working within the 2026 district elections can be “politically unsustainable under the circumstances,” Riethig was quoted as saying in an announcement from his SPD sub-district in Göttingen. At the start of March he additionally utilized for disciplinary proceedings towards himself. He wished to make sure fast and complete clarification, mentioned Riethig in a video on his social media channels.