Overview
- Berlin-Mitte SPD leaders said the candidate has not stepped aside after their withdrawal request and they will seek a new nomination if she refuses.
- Through her attorney, Uta Francisco dos Santos says a 2024 sports injury put her on long sick leave and a doctor’s note permits volunteer political work as part of a gradual return.
- The Berlin state party called her continued candidacy “currently not responsible,” and SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach publicly urged her to withdraw.
- Media reports say the Berlin Finance Administration declined to reinstate her to her previous post in November 2024 and instead offered a different role, leaving an employment dispute unresolved.
- The dispute has stirred concerns about transparency and readiness to serve before the September 20 vote, and she has reported receiving harassment since the story drew wider attention.