Potsdam decides: is Mayor Schubert voted out?

Potsdam decides: is Mayor Schubert voted out?

Potsdam, Deutschland - On May 25, 2025, a decisive citizens' decision on the election of the mayor Mike Schubert (SPD) takes place in Potsdam. The vote runs until 6 p.m., and Schubert is voted out if a majority vote against him and take part in at least a quarter of the people entitled to vote. The background of this citizens' decision are complex and reflect the current dissatisfaction of the population.

In the past few months, Schubert, who has been in office since 2018, has been exposed to growing criticism. A key point of the argument is the so-called ticket affair, which dealt with free VIP tickets for him and his wife. This investigation, which was finally set against money requirements, significantly damaged Schubert's integrity. In addition, he is accused of not implementing important resolutions of the city council and not adequately addressing problems such as the defective civic care and the lack of affordable living space.

political decisions and reactions

The city parliament in Potsdam approved Schubert as early as April 2025. Of 56 city councilors, 44 voted for the application, while only 9 voted. However, this decision was not unanimous because the SPD Schubert continues to support. The OB did not accept the vote of the city council, which now leads to the citizens' decision. If this fails, Schubert would have to stand for re -election in autumn 2026.

In the debate about the deselection, Schubert emphasized several times that he takes the citizens Ernst and promoted constructive cooperation with the political groups. However, he also rejected the criticism of his leadership style, which the city council describes as a "self-increase" and "charm offensive". Many city groups are now asking him to step down to save the costs of around 250,000 euros for the citizens' decision.

The view of the citizens and the voting result

The citizens' decision is not only a vote on Schubert's continuation in office, but also an important democratic event. It enables Potsdamers to express their opinion about the previous office. The political situation shows that Schubert no longer has a majority in the city council, which leads to a stuck political climate. Critics argue that the mayor focused primarily on prestige projects, while the city's fundamental problems remain unsolved.

Citizens are asked to actively participate in the vote in order to demonstrate the functionality of democracy. A high turnout is considered essential to legitimate the vote and to set a clear political course for the future of Potsdam. In addition to the ticket affair, there are unresolved topics such as the household that has not yet been adopted for the current year and the long waiting times in the citizen service in the focus of criticism.

The development of the situation around Mike Schubert is observed closely because it could not only shape politics in Potsdam, but also the mood in the entire region of Brandenburg. The coming hours will show whether Schubert's opponents prevail or whether he can still reverse the favor of voters.