Potsdam has new elections: Who are the candidates for the mayor's office?

Potsdam has new elections: Who are the candidates for the mayor's office?

There is a lot to report in Potsdam at the moment: After Mayor Mike Schubert (SPD) was voted out three weeks ago, the next mayoral election on September 21st is just around the corner. The voters voted for the deselection with a majority of 68.3 percent after Schubert had been criticized for a long time, among other things because of his leadership qualities and an investigation into VIP tickets. A total of 36,228 votes were counted for the deselection, which just exceeded the necessary quorum of 25 percent of those eligible to vote. Mayor Burkhard Exner (SPD) will take over office until the new elections.

What now needs to be done in Potsdam are the preparations for the election. The deadline for nominations ends on July 17th. But the parties are already in the process of announcing their candidates internally. The AfD in particular has already been able to present a permanent candidate in Chaled-Uwe Said. In other factions, such as the SPD, there is still speculation: an academic with international experience is considered a possible candidate and could perhaps become the face of a progressive alliance in the city. Rumor has it that she herself does not comment on these considerations.

Changing political landscape

In addition, there are considerations about the candidacy of the former cultural representative Noosha Aubel (independent). Although she is considered the favorite, the CDU's support remains questionable. A possible non-partisan candidacy is also being discussed, but this is met with resistance due to differences in content between the parties. The Greens also want a cross-party solution with Aubel as their preference. The voting group “The Others” is currently in the process of forming an opinion and is planning further meetings to clarify its position.

The upcoming local elections are a great opportunity for the parties to reposition themselves and bring a breath of fresh air into political events. They are not only important for city events, but also shape the local political landscape. The election campaign is therefore expected to be hotly debated, particularly given the criticism of the previous administration and the desire of many parties to bring new, young faces to the top.

Voting in Germany – an overview

To understand the significance of these elections, it is worth taking a look at the local electoral system in Germany. Local elections are regulated by the Basic Law and promote the representation of the people through general, direct and secret elections. As a rule, mayors are elected for a term of five to eight years, although the regulations can vary in the individual federal states. Interest is often particularly high in Brandenburg, as local elections focus on strong local issues and voter turnout is often lower than in state or federal elections.

The local political landscape is diverse, and people in Potsdam seem ready to use their voices for change. In order to tackle the new challenges, the parties must now show that they have a good knack for selecting the right candidates.