In the front row

Are firefighters the true rulers?

The mayor's visit to his fire department is a form of voter consultation, says Stefan Vögel.(Bild: ghazii )

Cabaret artist, author and expert on human nature Stefan Vögel answers questions that others don't even dare to ask. Today it's about the question of how much power the firefighters have in their community.

A mayor from my home town once made a bold attempt, together with his counterpart from the neighboring town, to merge the fire departments of both municipalities. According to expert opinion, this would have made sense logistically, financially and even in terms of safety, as the two towns now merge. Both mayors immediately presented their well-thought-out proposal to the local population - and then withdrew it the next minute, as otherwise they would have been removed from office at the next election.