Q&A with Katja Wolf
A political figurehead with big plans for a small city, Katja Wolf of the political party DIE LINKE has been Eisenach’s mayor for 10 years and has consequently reduced the city’s debt and initiated economic and cultural breakthroughs. She now fights for federal projects in the city and addresses the issues that come with the divided political landscape of Eastern Germany.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What are your two most important projects currently, for you personally and for the city?
A: We are currently applying for the location of the so-called “Future Center for German Unity and European Transformation.” That is a major federal project with an investment of over €200 million (about $200 million) and an annual budget of €50 million (about $50 million). And of course, the energy crisis is the topic that is overshadowing everything right now. On one hand, there is the question of the impact of unaffordable energy bills. What does that mean for our citizens, for our municipal companies, for real estate, for the security of supply? All the way to the question of: How do we have to prepare for a possible power cut or a blackout due to the energy shortage?
Q: Do you see the current political divide in Thuringia as a challenge for future projects?
A: Of course. I think the topic of cohesion in society is fundamental, especially in the municipalities. Without a communal sense of “we,” you cannot make a city sustainable because that is not possible without the citizens. Once there is a division in the urban society, it is not only a democratic problem, but also concerns the mood and charisma of the city. We have tried to address those issues of cohesion with incredible energy in recent years. We have set up a poverty prevention strategy, an integrated urban development concept, and the so-called education monitoring with an education mission statement. Those are all long-term missions to hold the city together internally.
Q: How do you deal with political and ideological disagreements in your day-to-day work?
A: There are different sides to that. One is the usual political disagreement, the wrestling for the best argument. I always say: “Power to the argument.” If you really put your heads together, even in a dispute, and are faced with different opinions, I perceive that as an enrichment. And then, of course, there is the political debate where you realize that it is no longer about the issue, but about real and de facto questions of power. You can endure that. You get used to it. But it costs energy that does not pay off, and it is often to the detriment of the city. And then, of course, there is the confrontation with political extremists. It always depends on the level at which it takes place. Parties like AfD and NPD are of course equipped with the same parliamentary rights on the city council. I, for example, have also elected AfD and NPD candidates to supervisory boards, even though I know that there is a big argument about it, because I am deeply convinced that the democratic rules of the game need to be followed as long as there is no ban on these parties. On the other hand, with an extremely clear demarcation line, there can be no egalitarianism with enemies of democracy. However, in places where you have the chance to distinguish yourself politically, of course you have to do so.
Q: How do you stay true to your party while acting as a representative mayor for all, despite the local political divide?
A: My party is totally irrelevant to my role as mayor. It is not completely gone because naturally you have a certain loyalty to the state government. You also have an inner closeness to your own parliamentary group. But party politics? I have never represented party politics in office. I was elected by 58% of those who went to the polls. That is far more than just left-wing potential and an obligation to be a mayor for everyone. That is my deepest inner conviction.
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