New district administrator for Spree-Neiße: Who are the candidates for 2026?

New district administrator for Spree-Neiße: Who are the candidates for 2026?

The Spree-Neiße district is facing an important change: the previous district administrator Harald Altekrüger (CDU) has announced that he will no longer run in the next election in 2026. This brings a breath of fresh air into the region's political events, as the search for a new district administrator has already begun. The main election will take place on March 8, 2026, and a possible runoff election on March 22, 2026 could decide who will take over the official duties. The LR Online reports that four candidates are currently on the shortlist, with further applications possible until January 1, 2026.

Martin Heusler (CDU) stands out among the current candidates. The 39-year-old is not only a staff officer in the reserve, but also runs the Spreewald conference center and founded the company QLEE. Heusler emphasizes the themes of responsibility and ties to his homeland as central to his candidacy. As a young father, he sees it as his responsibility to actively shape the future of the district and to promote the quality of life of its citizens. He is supported by the chairman of the CDU Spree-Neiße, Julian Brüning, who praises his leadership and down-to-earth attitude. As [Niederlausitz Aktuell](https://www.niederlausitz-aktuell.de/niederlausitz-aktuell/orte/spree-neisse/301135/cdu-werbung-martin-heusler-will-landrat-von-spree-neisse- Werden.html) reports, the CDU is planning a closed election campaign under Heusler's leadership.

Candidates at a glance

The list of applicants for the district election is not yet final. In addition to Martin Heusler, the following candidates are also in the running:

• Heiko Jahn (SPD), 59 Jahre, Geschäftsführer der Wirtschaftsregion Lausitz GmbH und ehemaliger Dezernent im Landkreis Dahme-Spreewald.
• Christine Beyer (AfD), 61 Jahre, Produktionsmanagerin und Abgeordnete im Kreistag Spree-Neiße.
• Ein weiterer Bewerber, über den bislang keine weiteren Informationen bekannt sind.

The district election committee will make the final decision on the approval of the candidacies on January 8, 2026. In the last district election in 2018, the runoff election caused excitement when Harald Altekrüger won the election with 61% of the votes.

Political relevance and outlook

The impending change at the top of the district offers opportunities for new political impulses. The demands and concerns of the citizens in Spree-Neiße are diverse, and a fresh field of candidates could offer the opportunity to better respond to current challenges. The focus of the discussions is particularly on the topic areas of family policy, regional development and quality of life. The GESIS also offers further information about the political landscape in Germany that may be of interest to voters.

Overall, the election remains exciting, and the candidates are aware of the important issues in the region that need to be communicated and resolved. Martin Heusler and his fellow candidates are faced with the task of convincing voters of their vision for the future of the district.