Tübingen’s mayor Boris Palmer (independent) is set to advise the state government of Baden-Württemberg under premier Cem Özdemir (Greens) on cutting bureaucracy, aiming to boost administrative efficiency.
Palmer will report directly to Özdemir. To make room for this, the existing Regulatory Control Council, chaired by former Freiburg mayor Dieter Salomon (Greens), is to be abolished. Palmer will take on this new role in addition to his mayoral duties.
The political link between Palmer and Özdemir is not new; the two share a long-standing friendship that also played a role during the election campaign. Özdemir has frequently praised Palmer, calling him one of Germany’s most successful mayors.
“Boris Palmer is a very important advisor to me,” Özdemir said. Palmer, who has been mayor of Tübingen since 2007, previously served as a state parliament member and was once considered a potential successor to Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) before leaving the party in 2023.
The decision to bring Palmer on board comes at a time when the state government is pushing to cut bureaucratic hurdles and modernize the administration. Palmer will play a key role in improving the efficiency of the state government.
The close cooperation between Palmer and Özdemir could also influence future political decisions in Baden-Württemberg, especially regarding administrative modernization.
Source: www.zeit.de
