Chris Mielchen is the new mayor of Vetschau – election victory with 86%!

Chris Mielchen is the new mayor of Vetschau – election victory with 86%!

In Vetschau, a charming town in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, the district voters triumphed with an impressive result. Chris Mielchen was elected as the new mayor on September 28, 2025 and received incredible awards86 percentof the votes. With 3,753 citizens eligible to vote, of which 3,693 votes were valid, the candidate clearly stood out from his competitors. Dr. Olaf Kappelt, whose support did not come from the AfD, had to settle for 14 percent, even though he ran as an individual candidate. Mielchen will take over the mayor's office in January 2026 from Bengt Chancellor, who did not run again after two electoral terms. Niederlausitz Aktuell reports that the new mayor is 44 years old, was born and lives in Vetschau. He not only brings experience from local politics, but also has degrees in public administration and the private sector. Married and father of two children, Mielchen wants to bring a breath of fresh air into the city administration.

The voter turnout was with58.8 percentpleasingly high - probably also because the citizens are showing great interest in the future development of their city. Mielchen received considerable attention from postal voters93 percentand among the ballot box voters84.1 percentof the votes. This shows that voters trust him and hope for a positive change. RBB24 emphasizes that Mielchen and his group of voters should succeed in improving the city treasury and renovating blocks of flats.

Vetschau and its special features

The city of Vetschau counts around7,730 inhabitants(as of December 31, 2024) and is located in a charming environment between the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve and the Lusatian Lake District. Sights include the Wendish-German double church, Vetschau Castle and the Raddusch Slavic castle. The city benefits from three commercial areas that are well connected to the L49 and A15. This creates a solid economic base that attracts companies in the areas of metalworking, construction, transport, logistics, galvanizing, trade, food industry, recycling and environmental technologies. Niederlausitz Aktuell states that these points make an important contribution to the economic stability of the region.

This year's elections in Brandenburg reveal an exciting picture: According to preliminary figures, the AfD has achieved the strongest position, while traditional parties such as the SPD, the Left and the Greens suffered significant losses. This could have a major impact on future political landscapes and the composition of local bodies. [N-TV].