Election campaign for mayor: Four candidates are fighting for Frankfurt (Oder)

Election campaign for mayor: Four candidates are fighting for Frankfurt (Oder)

The election campaign to succeed the mayor of Frankfurt (Oder) is in full swing! René Wilke, who has recently left office, is moving to the Brandenburg government cabinet as Interior Minister, and this will provide a breath of fresh air in the city's future leadership. After almost six weeks without a mayor, it will now be decided before the election on September 21st who will take the helm. For the fourth largest city in Brandenburg with almost 60,000 inhabitants, the signs are pointing to change - and this also applies to the topics of sustainable growth, housing construction and economic strengthening.

Four candidates want to know:

• Désirée Schrade (CDU): Die 38-jährige Rechtsanwältin ist die Hoffnungsträgerin der CDU und wurde einstimmig vom Kreisvorstand nominiert. Unterstützt von René Wilke, plant sie eine neue Initiative zur Wirtschaftsförderung. Zudem möchte sie Gespräche mit anderen Parteien, wie der Frankfurter SPD, führen.
• Wilko Möller (AfD): Der Landtagsabgeordnete tritt zum zweiten Mal an und kritisiert den aktuellen Haushalt sowie die Kriminalität. Er drängt auf einen Wechsel in der Stadtführung.
• Simona Koß (SPD): Als ehemalige Bundestagsabgeordnete will sie die Zusammenarbeit mit Slubice stärken und die kulturelle Entwicklung vorantreiben.
• Axel Strasser (Einzelbewerber): Der Politikwissenschaftler und Referent bei der IHK plant, als nicht parteigebundener Kandidat einen eigenen Akzent zu setzen.

The path to choice

Further candidates can apply until July 17th. It remains exciting to see who else will enter the race as citizens cast their votes on September 21st. A possible runoff election could take place as early as October 12th.

Désirée Schrade won a place in the city council in the 2024 local elections with 830 votes and, after initial hesitation, is now seriously considering taking over the mayor's office after Wilke had to resign. Her past as a criminal defense attorney, including in the high-profile Fratelli trial, could give her an advantage among voters. Claus Junghanns, the previous mayor, dropped out of the race in favor of Schrade. However, the Greens are sounding the alarm and demanding that an inclusive personality who enjoys the trust of citizens be elected.

The political situation in Brandenburg

The political climate in Brandenburg is tense. In the last local elections in June 2024, the AfD received the most votes in the region and has established itself as a serious player, which makes the upcoming elections all the more exciting. Around 22,500 candidates are fighting for around 6,100 seats in the various committees, and the voter turnout of 66.1% shows the great interest of citizens in local issues.

It remains to be seen how the election campaign will develop. Will citizens use the opportunity to bring a breath of fresh air into the town hall? On September 21st it will become clear who will control the fortunes of one of Brandenburg's most important cities.

For further information about the applicants and the election process in Brandenburg, visit:

• rbb24
• moz.de
• politische-bildung-brandenburg