CDU nomination: Clemens Viehrig replaces Willo Göpel for mayor election in Potsdam!
CDU nominates Clemens Viehrig as the new candidate for the Potsdam mayoral election on September 21, 2025, after Göpel's health withdrawal.

CDU nomination: Clemens Viehrig replaces Willo Göpel for mayor election in Potsdam!
There is movement in the political landscape in Potsdam. The CDU district association has announced that Clemens Viehrig has been nominated as the new candidate for the mayoral election. This step follows the abrupt announcement of the withdrawal of the previous candidate Willo Göpel, who resigned for health reasons. The decision was published on Thursday, and doctors had determined that the stress of a candidacy for mayor was not healthily acceptable for the 57-year-old rbb24 reported.
Göpel's health problems are alarming. He has been living with an artificial aorta and heart valves for 22 years and had several heart procedures in the spring. Despite his many years of experience as head of the CDU city parliamentary group, the ongoing stress was obviously too much for him. Clemens Viehrig, 47 years old and co-leader of the CDU parliamentary group, is now following in Göpel's footsteps and wants to score points in the upcoming elections.
The background to the choice
The mayoral election in Potsdam will take place on September 21st. This election is particularly explosive because the previous mayor Mike Schubert of the SPD was only voted out at the end of May. He was accused of corruption and poor administration. In this mixed political situation, there is now a lot at stake for the CDU and its new face, Clemens Viehrig.
As further reports indicate, voters in Potsdam will face an important electoral decision. In September 2023, not only will the mayoralty be voted on, but the position of the city parliament will also be re-elected. That makes it all the more important that Viehrig is well prepared and convinces voters to support his vision for the city stern.de.
Changing political landscape
The Potsdam case is not an isolated case in German politics, as current developments in other cities show. Mayoral elections are also taking place elsewhere, in which some established politicians will not run again. Such changes are often an opportunity for voters to bring a breath of fresh air into local politics. The political expert could expect an exciting dynamic here, like staatsanzeiger.de shows.
For Potsdam and the CDU, the nomination of Clemens Viehrig is a powerful step in the midst of these turbulent times. All eyes are now on the coming weeks and months, in which Viehrig must win the trust of the citizens. It remains to be seen whether he will succeed and how voters will react to the CDU's new face.