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Triumph and change: mayoral elections in Oberhavel decide!
On October 12, 2025, runoff elections for the mayoral elections in Hennigsdorf, Velten and Glienicke took place in Oberhavel.
Triumph and change: mayoral elections in Oberhavel decide!
In Oberhavel, the runoff elections for the mayoral election were on the agenda in several places on October 12th. The voters made some interesting decisions that should get people talking. Especially in Hennigsdorf, Velten and Glienicke it became clear how different the political preferences of citizens are.
In Hennigsdorf, the incumbent Thomas Günther from the SPD triumphed over his challenger Oliver Schönrock from the Independents - Citizens for Hennigsdorf. With 51.4 percent of the vote, Günther can look back on a solid re-election. However, voter turnout was 40.9 percent, lower than in the first round, where it was 44.8 percent. In the first election, Günther narrowly missed an absolute majority when he received 49.8 percent of the votes and fell short of a majority by just 21 votes, reports RBB24.
Results in Velten and Glienicke
Another exciting result came from Velten: Here, the independent Manuela Nebel was able to win over voters with 51.4 percent, while her challenger Marcel Siegert from the Pro Velten voters' association failed again with 48.6 percent. This was Siegert's third candidacy, which was unsuccessful. The electoral mystery in Velten had already become apparent in the first round of voting, when Nebel received 33.2 percent and Siegert 38.8 percent of the vote.
In Glienicke/Nordbahn, victory ultimately went to Arno Steguweit from the CDU, who with 50.4 percent was only a hair's breadth ahead of his SPD challenger Uwe Klein, who received 49.6 percent. The difference was only 42 votes. The city of Glienicke was also forced to hold mayoral elections this year because the previous incumbent was no longer running.
Voter turnout at a glance
Voter turnout varied greatly between locations and gave an idea of political participation in the region. Here are some numbers from the other elections to put things in perspective:
| Location | Voter turnout |
|---|---|
| Hennigsdorf | 40.9% |
| Velten | 58.6% |
| Glienicke/Nordbahn | 61.8% |
| Wriezen | 60% |
Voter turnout is an important measure of political participation, and it turns out that a clear decline was observed, particularly in Hennigsdorf. Interest in the electoral magnet seems to be waning here, which could be a signal for future political work. For comparison purposes, Statista shows that voter turnout in Germany generally varies widely; Older voter groups are significantly more active than younger people.
Overall, however, the election reflects a certain political commitment, which is seen despite the challenges such as the closure of the hospital in Hennigsdorf or the pressure on the housing market in Berlin's suburbs. The region's mayors are grappling with various social issues that concern voters.
The mayors are elected for a term of eight years. With the re-election of Günther and the new beginning with Nebel and Steguweit, the three cities could potentially enter a new political era - and next time citizen participation should also increase again in Hennigsdorf.