Source: Cover Images /Scanpix Denmark
[Saba Sports News] Michael Schumacher and his brother Ralf Schumacher were born in the German city of Hesketh, but during their F1 careers, they have maintained a close connection with the nearby city of Kerpen. As a seven-time F1 world champion, Schumacher enjoys immense popularity in Germany. However, the mayor of Kerpen recently made an unexpected decision to refuse to grant Michael Schumacher honorary citizenship. This decision was met with strong opposition from Ralf Schumacher, who stated on social media that he is never surprised by what the German Social Democratic Party does, indicating that Kerpen has evidently lost its significance in their lives. Reiner Ferling, president of the Schumacher Fan Club, expressed regret in an interview with German media that the city cannot appoint someone who has helped them win seven world championships as an honorary citizen. In response, Dieter Spurck, the mayor of Kerpen since 2015, has been engaged in crisis management, stating that Kerpen does not have guidelines for honorary citizenship, and it will be up to the city council to decide whether to introduce relevant guidelines and standards. In a council meeting held on March 19, 2024, the Kerpen city council unanimously decided to postpone the matter of granting honorary citizenship to Michael Schumacher. So far, the city government has not received new applications from politicians regarding this topic.