Criticism is his undoingBaden politician wants to become a local citizen - rejected
Vanessa Büchel
22.7.2024
The Baden politician Gian von Planta was rejected by the local citizens.
KEYSTONE
Gian von Planta from Baden AG wanted to become a local citizen. He was rejected by a clear majority at the meeting - probably because he had already criticized the local communities in the past.
22.07.2024, 18:08
22.07.2024, 18:09
Vanessa Büchel
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Gian von Planta, Baden businessman and politician, wanted to be accepted into the local citizens' association.
This is despite the fact that he has turned out to be a critic of local citizens in the past.
The mechanical engineer received a clear rejection at the meeting.
Baden businessman and politician Gian von Planta (50) wants to become a local citizen. This comes after he himself strongly criticized the system of citizens' municipalities. According to Blick, von Planta has made negative comments about it in the past: "Local citizenships slow down democracy."
You can only become a local citizen if you are born with the right. Or who is accepted in a vote.
Members of local communities enjoy an elevated status, have a say over large properties such as forests, land and real estate and are influential in municipal politics.
This is incomprehensible to von Planta. "That's no longer possible today. As an elected member of parliament, I want to be able to make decisions in the interests of the people without additional power preventing sensible decisions from being implemented," the mechanical engineer from Baden is said to have stated according to Blick.
However, this opinion did not prevent him from wanting to become a member of the Ortsbürgergemeinde himself. However, von Planta was clearly rejected at the meeting - because he had already positioned himself as a critic of the local community?
Never before in the history of local citizens
According to the "Badener Tagblatt" newspaper, 119 local citizens entitled to vote attended the vote at the end of June. The rebuff for von Planta was clearly reflected in the numbers. The result: 79 no votes to 32 yes votes.
This was a surprising result and unprecedented in the history of local citizens. "Certainly not in the last 20 years. Every year, ten to 20 people are granted citizenship," explained Stefan Bräm to the Badener Tagblatt newspaper. He is Chairman of the Finance Committee, which had previously been responsible for the preliminary examination of naturalization applications.
Von Planta is not only a successful businessman, but also a Green-Liberal member of the city council and was a member of Baden's city parliament for several years. According to Blick, he justifies his application to become a local citizen: "Comprehensive service to the community is only possible in Baden if you are a member of the local citizens' association."
His wife and two daughters were accepted, albeit with a narrow result.
According to the Badener Tagblatt newspaper, von Planta will receive an appealable decision. It remains to be seen whether he will take legal action against the rejection. blue News has not yet been able to reach Gian von Planta.