Potsdam chooses: Four candidates are fighting for the mayor!

Potsdam chooses: Four candidates are fighting for the mayor!

The political landscape in Potsdam is noticeably changing, while the city is preparing for the mayor election on September 21, 2025. After the election of the former SPD Mayor Mike Schubert in May, who was criticized for mismanagement and an affair for free tickets, several candidates for the position now seem to rise in the ring. A citizens' decision had withdrawn the mandate, which releases the stage for new political faces. So Potsdam is expected to have at least four applicants for the election, including prominent names and new faces.

The CDU unanimously opted for Willo Göpel, the group leader in the city parliament, who is a passionate advocate of bourgeois politics. Göpel, born in Berlin-Zehlendorf in 1963, is convinced: "Potsdam has to work again". His candidacy stands for the desire for an alternative to the established, politically left applicants and the intention of continuing the policy of his predecessors, such as Dietmar Woidke and Jörg Vogelsänger. He studied history at various universities and brings extensive experience from his time as a journalist and project developer.

candidates and political tendencies

On the other side of the political spectrum, the AfD Chaled-Uwe Said, the chairman of the AfD city parliamentary group, nominated as its candidate. The candidacy by Noosha Aubel, a non -party applicant and former deputy for education, who has also announced her ambitions, is quite unique. The independent option could be attractive for voters who long for alternatives to classic party politics.

Another potential candidate is Severin Fischer, the Berlin economic Secretary of State, whose talks with the SPD have apparently already been well advanced. A party congress of the SPD Potsdam is scheduled for July 5, where its official candidacy could be decided. This indicates that the SPD relies on fresh, dynamic approaches in order to restart after Schubert's deselection. The Greens, on the other hand, are currently examining the possibility of a non -partisan candidacy.

election process and voter base

For the election on September 21, around 143,000 eligible voters are called up in Potsdam to vote. The heart of the process is the deadline for submitting the election proposals, which ends on July 17th. If you want to come to the move without a current seat in the city council or state parliament, you need at least 112 support signatures. If no candidate reaches the absolute majority of 50 percent in the first ballot, the runoff election is due on October 12th to determine a clear winner.

The mayor Burkhard Exner will run the business in the transition period until the next mayor took office. The coming months promise tension and a lively political exchange, while Potsdam is preparing for the crucial choice in which the direction of urban politics could be significantly influenced. Further information on the election can be found on the official city page Potsdam.de