Historic mayoral election in Oranienburg: AfD or SPD?

Historic mayoral election in Oranienburg: AfD or SPD?

Next Sunday the decision on the new mayor will be made in Oranienburg. In the runoff election, AfD candidate Anja Waschkau and Jennifer Collin-Feeder from the SPD will compete against each other. In the first round, no candidate who could win an absolute majority was elected. Waschkau won 28.1 percent of the vote, while Collin-Feeder only received 19.1 percent. This now leads to an exciting duel between the two women to take over the leadership of the city. The elected mayor Alexander Laesicke, who was in office for eight years, only received 13.2 percent of the vote. Tagesschau reports that

If the first round of voting was already exciting, the runoff election promises even more drama. In the first round, Stefanie Rose from the Left (16.3 percent) and the independent Heiko Wolfgang Zillmann (15.6 percent) also had a vote among the voters. However, with a voter turnout of 57.6%, citizens were not quite as enthusiastic as one would like. Now around 40,000 eligible voters are called to decide on Sunday who will be the mayor for the next eight years, who will take office on January 5, 2026. The Tagesspiegel adds that

The candidates in portrait

34-year-old Jennifer Collin-Feeder not only brings her experience as a social affairs officer in Velten, but was also planning her run for the mayor's office in 2017. Her focus is on social projects, the construction of a new fire station and the attractiveness of Bernauer Straße, which she brings into focus when it comes to urban development. With a clear commitment to prioritizing the use of funds, it could bring a breath of fresh air to the city's budget. As the Tagesschau highlights,

Anja Waschkau could be the first AfD candidate to nominate a full-time mayor in Brandenburg. She only became a member of the AfD a year ago and is already an informed citizen on the social committee. Their plans include organizing the city's finances and examining potential savings in administration. She also advocates strengthening local businesses and promoting tourism in order to revitalize the Oranienburg location. Nevertheless, she is perceived critically by many, especially because of the classification of her party as right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. In this regard, the Tagesschau points out the concerns of the Sachsenhausen Memorial,

Social reactions

Protests for democracy and diversity are currently taking place in Oranienburg, which express the worrying tendencies that a possible election of Waschkau could bring with it. Around 225 people took part in the demonstrations and showed that part of the population is critical of the possible changes in the city's leadership. The AfD's voter structure shows that it is particularly strong in rural regions and among men between the ages of 35 and 59. The party's anti-establishment image could serve as a motivation to unite voters and increase turnout. The Federal Agency for Civic Education explains that the AfD is perceived as an anti-establishment party,

The result of the election will not only be important for Oranienburg, but could also have nationwide effects. It remains to be seen whether voters on Sunday will have the courage to take a new direction or rely on the tried and tested. With this in mind, the Tagesschau looks at the election and its consequences.