New SPD candidate for Potsdam: Severin Fischer in the race for office!

New SPD candidate for Potsdam: Severin Fischer in the race for office!

Potsdam is currently experiencing a political upheaval that is moving people's minds. After Mike Schubert, the mayor of Potsdam who has been in office since 2018, was voted out in a referendum, the search for a new city leader becomes concrete. A bitter blow for the SPD: In the decision, 68.3 percent of voters voted for Schubert's early end in office, with the necessary participation of 25 percent of eligible voters being significantly exceeded. The 36,228 yes votes were a clear vote against Schubert, whose administration was overshadowed by allegations of corruption and leadership failure, as the World reported.

His successor has already been determined: Severin Fischer, the 41-year-old State Secretary in the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Enterprises in Berlin, has been nominated as the SPD candidate for the upcoming mayoral elections. This official nomination is scheduled to take place on July 5th, as rbb24 reports. Fischer has lived in Berlin since 2008 and sees Neukölln as the center of his life.

The background to the deselection

What led to Schubert being voted out? The allegations include not only the controversial VIP tickets for sporting events, which led to proceedings for accepting benefits, but also the generally negative public perception of his administration. Despite his claims of no corruption, his behavior has left him vulnerable. All parties except the SPD have accused him of leadership failure in this matter, which further undermined the trust of the citizenry. Complaints about citizens' services and housing benefits reflect a general dissatisfaction in the city¹.

The deselection process in Brandenburg gives citizens the opportunity to vote out a mayor early. General dissatisfaction is enough; There does not have to be a specific reason. Such proceedings have already been successfully brought against other mayors in Potsdam in the past, which shows how actively citizens can participate in the political shaping of their community².

The upcoming elections

The next mayoral election will take place on September 21, 2025, and in the event of no absolute majority, a runoff election will be held on October 12. Burkhard Exner (SPD), who is temporarily in charge of the official business, will lead the city until the election, while the deadline for submitting election proposals ends on July 17th and may also require new candidates. The AfD district association has already nominated Chaled-Uwe Said as their candidate. After Schubert was voted out, one thing is clear: a new beginning is necessary, and the political landscape will change in the coming months as new faces fight for the trust of Potsdam's citizens.³