Mayoral disputes in Klütz: Two candidates, big questions!

Mayoral disputes in Klütz: Two candidates, big questions!

In Klütz, in the district of Northwest Mecklenburg, the citizens can expect an exciting political change. A new mayor will be elected on February 1, 2026, after the previous incumbent Jürgen Mevius from the Independent Voters' Association announced his resignation on October 31, 2025. The resignation was the consequence of strong criticism of his decision to disinvite the appearance of the prominent publicist Michel Friedman at the Literaturhaus. The performance was supposed to take place on the occasion of Hannah Arendt's 120th birthday and to initiate a discussion on the topic of democracy. Jürgen Mevius justified the disinvitation with excessive costs for Friedman's fee and overnight accommodation, but rejected reports that the decision was made out of fear of protests from a right-wing extremist scene or from Hamas sympathizers ndr.de reported.

The resignation caused a lot of excitement in the city and beyond. Oliver Hintz, the former head of the literary house, called the disinvitation a scandal and spoke of internal disputes about Friedman's lifestyle. PEN Berlin, an authors' association, has already announced that it will hold a rally in Klütz, at which Friedman will also appear, to defend the autonomy of culture. Max Gagzow of the SPD regretted the mayor's resignation and highly charged debates in the media led to Mevius feeling defamed when he spoke of "false interpretations and false facts".

The candidates for the mayoral election

Klütz's political future is now being shaped by two candidates. Torben Menck, a 38-year-old individual candidate and authorized representative at Arbeiterwohlfahrt, is also running in the race, as is Martin Kühl, 54 years old and a member of the Independent Voters' Association. Kühl brings with him broad experience in business, journalism and racing, which could certainly be an advantage for him in the competition for the mayor's office, reports tagesschau.de.

Guntram Jung from the CDU will take over the duties of interim mayor until the election. Citizens are now asked to take part in the political discussions and to cast their vote for the future of Klütz. A good time for anyone who wants to face the city with a breath of fresh air!

A new director for the Literaturhaus

At the same time, the city is also faced with the challenge of finding a new director for the “Uwe Johnson” literary house after Oliver Hintz resigned due to the controversy surrounding Friedman's disinvitation. This step continues the debate about cultural autonomy and the role of the literary house in Klütz. More than ever, the city is required to take a clear stance on culture and the public.

The events surrounding the mayoral election and the cultural policy debates show that there is a lot going on in Klütz. The developments and the reactions of citizens are being followed with interest.