After calls for resignation and investigations by the Koblenz public prosecutor, the Ahrweiler District Administrator Pföhler resigned on Tuesday. Now the way is clear for an “unencumbered new beginning”.
The district administrator of Ahrweiler, Jürgen Pföhler (CDU), resigns from office after the flood disaster in July. The CDU district association Ahrweiler announced on Monday evening. The reason given was that Pföhler could no longer exercise his office due to illness – but there had been massive criticism of his approach after the disaster.
The Ahrweiler district currently needs an “unencumbered new beginning” in its leadership, explained the CDU parliamentary group. This presupposes the trust of the population in the politically responsible. Pföhler’s step to no longer exercise his office is “therefore necessary and inevitable”. The trust of the people in the circle is no longer given. In this exceptional situation, the “now imperative, resolute and hands-on leadership of the office” is no longer possible.
Investigations against the district administrator of Ahrweiler have been initiated
The parliamentary groups of the SPD and the Greens had called for Pföhler’s resignation in the past few days. About a week and a half ago, the Koblenz public prosecutor’s office initiated an investigation against Pföhler on the initial suspicion of negligent homicide and negligent bodily harm through negligence. In addition, according to its own information, the authority is investigating another member of the crisis team.
The initiation of investigations into who and to what extent was responsible for the operations management on the evening of the disaster and whether there was culpable behavior is logical, said the CDU parliamentary group. “From our understanding, however, one cannot exercise an office when criminal investigations are ongoing,” it said.
People are still missing
Extreme heavy rain had triggered devastating floods on rivers in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate around four weeks ago. Many communities, especially in the Ahr Valley, were devastated. In Rhineland-Palatinate, 133 people were killed in connection with the flood. According to the state operations management, eight found dead had died before the flood. Four other people are still missing. The operations management counted a total of 766 injured. There were 47 deaths in North Rhine-Westphalia.
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