The CDU candidate for the office of Lord Mayor of Cologne and avowed homosexual Peter Kurth does not expect any resistance from Cardinal Joachim Meisner against his candidacy. "I don't see why he should have a problem with me," Kurth told the "Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger" (Thursday). He said there were known members of the Catholic clergy in the city who supported him. "I confess not only to all aspects of my personality, but also to being a practicing Catholic," said the former Berlin finance senator.
There will be voices of conservative CDU members who do not want to have a homosexual OB, Kurth admitted. But there will equally be a demand "that the CDU open itself up to certain modernization processes". In general, he doesn't think the people of Cologne would have a problem with "someone running for political office being gay". Kurth's candidacy for the local elections on 30. August was announced last week. Cologne's current mayor Fritz Schramma (CDU) announced in March that he would not stand for a new term in office because of massive criticism of his crisis management after the collapse of the city's historical archive. Kurth also commented on the building of mosques and dealing with Islam. In the discussion, many things are mixed up, said the native of Siegburg. As examples, he cited "the fear of Islam, own identity doubts, the building project, the development of the neighborhood". One must pull such a topic apart. He thinks it is good that the topic is being discussed politically. "However, this has nothing to do with the right of a religious community to build a place of worship." This will be "decided and settled" according to building law, Kurth said.