Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) – The Frankfurt tram driver Peter Wirth is known beyond the city limits as “Bahnbabo”, now he is striving for the highest office in the Main metropolis. The 61-year-old wants to run as a candidate in the election of the mayor on March 5th. The muscular employee of the Frankfurt public transport company VGF with the cool sunglasses had announced his candidacy years ago, now he’s getting serious.
Years ago, young people created the title “Bahnbabo” with a view to the well-toned body of the tram driver – “Babo” is a word in youth language and means “boss”. Now he wants to change from “Bahnbabo” to “Bürgerbabo”, says the 61-year-old with a wink. He delights his passengers with his own rhyming poems, which he repeats over the microphone. Thousands follow him on social media. If he walks through the city, he is asked for a photo every few meters.
“I’ve been driving through the city for 34 years and I notice things that I want to change,” says Wirth about his candidacy. Transport policy is a matter close to his heart, priority for local public transport is one of his campaign demands. This also includes more suitable approaches and offers for young people as well as affordable housing.
Entrepreneur Maja Wolff, known in the city as the organizer of the Green Sauce Festival, also threw her hat in the ring. In Frankfurt, the communication between politicians and the citizens has come to a standstill, she criticizes. The four-party coalition in Römer is said to be ineffective, which is evident, for example, from the bad conditions in the station district.
As Frankfurt’s mayor, she wants to be there, listen and bring people together to find solutions, says Wolff: “What makes me special is that I connect people.” She also cites the turnaround in traffic and affordable housing as well as digitization as priority issues.
On January 6, the city will announce which candidates have met the eligibility requirements. Candidates who are independent of the parties must also submit 186 signatures from Frankfurt supporters.
