In 2004 Schuster's re-election to office was attributed to Stuttgart's favourable economic development during his first term. The biggest and most high-profile project during his office has been Stuttgart 21 – a major rail project to build a new underground through station for Stuttgart, also encompassing connections to existing surface and underground lines. The project was officially approved on 19 July 2007. Schuster is longlisted for the 2008 World Mayor award and was voted second most successful Mayor in Germany in a survey by Wirtschaftswoche magazine. In 2004, he was the only (active) local politician nominated for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung "Reformer of the Year" award. He was awarded a UNESCO Cities for Peace Prize for his work advancing integration of immigrant communities, and has established the EU Cities for Children network in cooperation with the Robert Bosch Foundation and Stuttgart-based carmaker Daimler. In October 2008, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel named Schuster the German member of a 12-strong reflection group called the "Council of Wise Men to Rethink Europe" which is headed by former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez. Criticism, controversy and setbacks Shortly after funding was finalised for Stuttgart 21, the political opponents of Wolfgang Schuster were quick to condemn him for backtracking on a promise made during the mayor elections of 2004 – namely that he would allow the population of Stuttgart to decide the fate of Stuttgart 21 if the additional costs of the project for the city of Stuttgart amounted to more than €200 million. The agreement contained a provision that the local government would have to participate in covering a cost increases possibly up to an amount above €200 million should the actual project costs significantly exceed planned costs. The Greens subsequently accused Schuster publicly of breaking his word. Schuster responded that the projected cost increase for the city of Stuttgart amounted to €84 million and thus significantly less than the amount for which he had promised a referendum. In November 2007 a citizens' petition against the Stuttgart 21 project gained 67,000 signatures. After further legal wrangling appeals were submitted for a local referendum which experts subsequently deemed unlawful as contracts had already been signed and Stuttgart was not the main source (other backers include Deutsche Bahn, the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the EU). Failed projects pointed to by opponents during the office of Schuster include Stuttgart's last place as German candidate for the