Eisenhüttenstadt elects new mayor – four candidates in the race!

Eisenhüttenstadt elects new mayor – four candidates in the race!

On Sunday, September 28th, the election of a new mayor will take place in Eisenhüttenstadt. In the city, which has lost a significant amount of population since reunification - from 50,000 to now just under 20,000 citizens eligible to vote - there are four male candidates up for election. The previous mayor Frank Balzer from the SPD is not running again after a citizens' initiative to vote him out in 2023 did not bring him the desired success. Instead, the SPD local association nominated a new candidate in May.

The city is facing several challenges: empty apartments characterize the cityscape, as one in seven apartments in the city center is unrented and high-rise buildings in new development areas have to be demolished. Oliver Funke, Managing Director of the Building Industry, emphasizes the city's good infrastructure, while at the same time the pressure on social projects is increasing. Simone Wächtler from Volkssolidarität warns that the city's financial bottlenecks could endanger these projects.

Candidates in the race

The four candidates bring different focuses and problem-solving approaches:

• Maik Diepold (AfD) möchte den Lkw-Verkehr und die Schifffahrt zur Verbesserung der Region vorantreiben.
• Christian Friedrich (CDU) setzt auf die Unterstützung des Mittelstands und Handwerks, um die wirtschaftliche Basis der Stadt zu verbreitern.
• Marko Henkel (SPD) thematisiert Sicherheit und Ghettoisierung und will sich für eine stärkere Vereinsarbeit einsetzen.
• Jens Vowie (Einzelkandidat) will die Bürgerbeteiligung stärken und plant Bürgermeister-Sprechstunden sowie Ortsteilversammlungen.

A central issue remains the future of the ArcelorMittal steelworks in the region. As Deutschlandfunk reports, the group had to stop its plans to switch to green steel production, which dashed many hopes for sustainable economic development in the region. The decision came as a surprise to many as planning was already advanced. This could have a direct impact on the economic situation in Eisenhüttenstadt.

Demographic challenges

Urban development in Eisenhüttenstadt is also marked by demographic changes. While other cities in Germany are experiencing population growth, Eisenhüttenstadt is struggling with the consequences of shrinking. bpb.de describes that over 1 million apartments in East Germany have been empty in recent years. This presents municipal housing companies with major financial challenges. To counteract this, innovative approaches and close cooperation with housing companies are necessary to maintain the quality of life in the city.

The results of the mayoral election will be announced on Sunday from 6 p.m. If no candidate achieves an absolute majority and 15% quorum, there could be a runoff election on October 12th. In a city full of challenges, the population is eagerly awaiting the new impulses and solutions that the election could bring with it.