Future of the Roman coalition in danger: dispute over crack center in Frankfurt!

Future of the Roman coalition in danger: dispute over crack center in Frankfurt!

Frankfurt is facing a big decision: the plans for an addiction center at Niddastrasse 76 could not only address the local drug problem, but also endanger the future of the Roman coalition. This coalition, consisting of the Greens, SPD, FDP and Volt, is anything but united on this matter. As the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports, the FDP has reiterated its negative stance on the planned crack center, which is putting the coalition dynamic to the test.

The discussion about the planned center, which will be located near a known drug hotspot, is intense. At its district membership meeting, the FDP decided to speak out against the project with a large majority. Critical voices, including that of SPD politician Elke Voitl, who heads the social affairs department, became loud. Voitl points out that the coalition agreement supports the further development of drug policy.

The coming decisions

On Monday evening, the FDP will hold an extraordinary general meeting to elect a new party leader after Thorsten Lieb announced his retirement. Frank Maiwald is considered his successor, which could further weaken the FDP's position. An emergency motion was submitted by 22 party members calling for the end of the coalition if the addiction help center is approved on July 3rd. The Left has also signaled that it could agree to the resolution, which would enable a majority without the FDP, like the one Hesse show reported.

The dispute over the crack center is also reflected in the FDP's other proposals, which call for the closure of existing consumption rooms and the construction of a new help center at a different location. Annette Rinn, head of the public order department, describes this as “completely unrealistic,” which could further increase tensions within the coalition. The coalition only has a one-vote majority in the city parliament, which makes it clear how critical the situation is.

Drug policy in focus

Criticism comes not only from politicians, but also from residents and business people. Several initiatives, such as the Bahnhofsviertel owners' initiative, have published an open letter against the plans. This development is not without significance when one looks at drug policy as a whole. The drug commissioner Daniela Ludwig emphasizes that it is not possible to completely eliminate drugs from society. Instead, a harm-reducing approach could help combat the problem more effectively, like this Deutschlandfunk culture notes.

It remains exciting to see how the Roman coalition will deal with this heated dispute. The coming days could be crucial for the political landscape in Frankfurt and the city's future drug policy. Whatever happens, the addiction help center and the associated discussions have become a question of fate for the FDP and its coalition partners.