Gay mayor resigns: “A lot of pressure”

In Neubrandenburg, the city council forbids hoisting the rainbow flag, which has been repeatedly attacked. The mayor now explains why he subsequently resigned.

Silvio Witt (independent), mayor of Neubrandenburg, resigns Photo: Bernd Wüstneck/dpa

Neubrandenburg/Berlin dpa/epd/taz | Neubrandenburg’s mayor Silvio Witt (independent) has commented on the background to his announced resignation in May 2025. The resignation announcement was preceded by a majority decision by the city council to no longer fly the rainbow flag at the train station as a result of several attacks.

In the past, unknown people had exchanged the flag in the city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania several times for a flag with a swastika.

The city council decided on Wednesday with 15 yes votes, 11 no votes and 8 abstentions that the rainbow flag could no longer be hung. The non-attached councilor Tim Großmüller submitted the motion and, according to NDR, justified it with the crimes that had repeatedly led to unknown perpetrators replacing the rainbow flag with flags with National Socialist symbols. According to NDR, members of the AfD, BSW, Project NB and the “Stable Citizens Neubrandenburg”, to which Großmüller had originally belonged, voted for the application.

According to the online magazine katapult-mv, Großmüller had originally ordered, among other things, a ban on “advertising with homosexual content”. In addition, he had apparently repeatedly made anti-queer comments in recent years.

The parliamentary managing director of the left-wing faction in the state parliament, Torsten Koplin, described the decision as shameful. “After several attacks on the rainbow flag in recent years, the reactionary forces have imposed their will and sent a message against humanity,” said Koplin. The rainbow flag stands for cosmopolitanism, diversity and the protection of minorities and people who think differently. The motion makes it clear “how much the political coordinate system has shifted to the right,” the left-wing politician explained. It is particularly disappointing that members of the CDU and BSW had no inhibitions about agreeing to this or abstaining.

At an event organized by the Körber Foundation in Berlin, Witt said, according to a recording published by NDR: “A lot has happened, there is a lot of pressure being exerted.” At some point this will have an impact on those around him , on his husband, his family and friends. A key experience was when his mother sent him a Whatsapp message in the morning saying: “Today it’s not so bad what’s in the newspaper.”

Patron of Christopher Street Day events

In the past, Witt had spoken out in favor of a cosmopolitan and tolerant Neubrandenburg – including as patron of Christopher Street Day events. The 45-year-old Witt also appeared on social media with the rainbow flag.

His regular term would last until 2029. Witt has been mayor of the third largest city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania since 2015. He was re-elected in 2022 by a large margin over his only opponent.