Severin Fischer as mayoral candidate: SPD relies on social change in Potsdam!

Severin Fischer as mayoral candidate: SPD relies on social change in Potsdam!

Potsdam has a new mayoral candidate: Severin Fischer, the current State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Energy and Enterprises in Berlin, was unanimously nominated by the SPD as a candidate for the upcoming mayoral election. At a party conference in Potsdam, Fischer received a whopping 89.3 percent of the vote, demonstrating his broad support within the party. A total of 100 of 112 delegates voted for him, while there were only eight votes against. There could be no shortage of that, because the party conference took place in a creative atmosphere, without any opposing candidates being put forward, as maz-online.de reports.

Fischer, who was born in Franconia and has lived in Berlin for 20 years, sees himself as a bridge builder between the capital and Potsdam. “Housing and social cohesion are my priorities,” he emphasizes. For him, the switch to municipal and cooperative construction is essential in order to adequately meet the challenges of housing policy in Potsdam. Fischer also received support from important party colleagues, including former mayor Jann Jakobs and long-time government spokesman Florian Engels. Together with Alma Kleen, co-leader of the Potsdam SPD, he forms a strong team for a new era in the city.

A look at the election

The election of the city leader is scheduled for September 21, 2025. Fischer is running in an exciting race in which, among others, the AfD with Chaled-Uwe Said, the CDU with Willo Göpel and the independent Noosha Aubel are represented. Jörn Karlipp and Bernd Blase also come into play as individual applicants. A notable aspect is the removal of the previous mayor Mike Schubert, which took place through a referendum - an indication that a breath of fresh air is needed, as rbb24.de notes.

Fischer is considered a surprise candidate. After other potential candidates withdrew, Fischer moved into the spotlight. To advance the conversation about housing, transportation transition and resilience to extreme weather events, he plans to move to Potsdam if he wins the election, a progressive step to identify even more strongly with the city. His goals are clearly defined and his commitment could become the key to a key role in the city.

Political framework conditions

The local elections in Potsdam on June 10 made the SPD the strongest force with 19.4 percent of the vote, followed by the CDU with 14.7 and the Greens with 14.5 percent. A total of twelve groups and parties were able to prevail in the city council; a total of 143,118 eligible voters were counted, with a voter turnout of 70.4 percent. The SPD recorded a slight increase of 0.2 percentage points, which could give the party a boost, while the AfD increased by 4.2 percent to 13.7 percent and strengthened its position, as documented on potsdam.de.

In the midst of this dynamic political landscape, it is clear that Severin Fischer should not only keep a cool head, but also have a good handle on the concerns of the citizens of Potsdam. In this race for city leader, not only his political experience will be crucial, but also his personal commitment and the ability to create a real connection with the city and its residents. It remains exciting to see whether he lives up to expectations and whether the people of Potsdam are prepared to put their trust in him.