“Consistent”, “respectable”, “consistent”: Green politicians have welcomed Palmer’s departure from the party. The mayor of Tübingen did not want to comment himself. “I’m taking a break today,” he said.
The Green Party has welcomed the resignation of Tübingen Mayor Boris Palmer. “This step is logical,” said the political federal director of the Greens, Emily Büning, the news portal t-online.
Green leader Omid Nouripour paid tribute to Palmer. “There were reasons why we all had a lot of discussions with each other,” he said in common Morning magazine from ARD and ZDF. Palmer’s step is “respectable and I wish him a good life”.
“Consequent step after an estrangement”
The Tübingen member of parliament Chris Kühn also described leaving the party as a logical step. Palmer has moved far away from the party in terms of content and program, especially since 2015, said Kühn. “In this respect, it was a logical step after an estrangement that has become apparent over many years.”
The Berlin Green politician Antje Kapek spoke of a “toxic relationship”. “Finally!” she wrote on Twitter. “Palmer has always been argumentative. But his last lapse was the worst thing a German politician could say. It hadn’t had anything to do with the Greens for a long time. It’s good that this ultra-toxic relationship ends here.”
“Time out” announced
Palmer is heavily criticized. On the sidelines of a migration conference in Frankfurt am Main, he had commented on the use of the “N-word”. The so-called N-word describes a racist term for black people that was used in Germany in the past.
When Palmer was confronted with shouts of “Nazis out,” he said: “It’s nothing but the Star of David. It’s because I used a word that you attach everything else to. If you say the wrong word, you are a Nazi for you.”
In a personal statement Monday, Palmer said he “should never have talked like that” as mayor. Finally, he announced a “time out” and declared his withdrawal from the party.
Palmer declined to provide any further information today. “I’m taking a break today and for this reason I’m not answering any questions,” he told the dpa news agency. And when asked when he’ll be able to speak again, Palmer replied: “I don’t know.” From the Tübingen city administration it was only said. “Mr. Palmer is ill and will not be available for inquiries today.”
Palmer’s comments
It wasn’t Palmer’s first controversial statement. In May 2021, the Greens in Baden-Württemberg had decided on party exclusion proceedings against him. The reason was a post on Facebook about former national soccer player Dennis Aogo that was considered racist. According to Palmer, his entry was meant to be satirical.
Palmer and the party then agreed on a compromise: Palmer announced that he would not be a member of the Greens until the end of 2023, which took the party expulsion off the table. In October 2022, he again won the mayoral election in Tübingen and began a third term.