Freiberg City Council Votes on Recall of the Mayor

In light of the disputes surrounding Freiberg’s mayor, Philipp Preißler (Free Voters), the local politician faces the threat of a recall election. The city council will vote on this matter on Thursday at the request of the Free Voters. They argue that Preißler has severed contact with the city administration since being sworn in at the beginning of July and that the district administration has imposed a ban on his official duties. This stems from a police investigation into a violent incident in Leipzig.

“The city is currently being run without an elected mayor,” the draft resolution states. “This situation should be brought to an end by initiating the recall process.” 

According to the municipal code, the city council cannot remove a directly elected mayor on its own, but can only initiate a recall, which the citizens must then decide on. This first requires a three-quarters majority in the city council. The entire process takes place without prior debate. If the resolution passes, the citizens of Freiberg will be asked whether Preißler should be removed from office. January 31, 2027, is being considered as the date for this vote. At least 50 percent of the votes would then be required to confirm his removal.