Dirk Hilbert: Why the title of mayor is a long time coming!

Dirk Hilbert: Why the title of mayor is a long time coming!

Dirk Hilbert, who was elected Mayor of Dresden in the second round on July 10, 2022, is not yet officially in office. The commitment should take place at the first city council meeting after the summer break on August 28, 2023 dnn.de reported. The reason for the delay lies in the legally binding election results, which were only recently determined.

In the election, Hilbert received 45.3 percent of the vote, while his competitor, Eva Jähnigen from the Greens, received 38.3 percent. The voter turnout was rather weak at 41.3 percent and was below that of the first round. Hilbert had already announced before the final count that he would emerge as the winner of the election, a statement that ultimately proved him right. Among the remaining candidates, Maximilian Krah from the AfD scored 12.2 percent, followed by Jan Pöhnisch (The Party) with 2.2 percent and Marcus Fuchs (Lateral Thinking) with 2 percent tag24.de reported.

Legal dispute over election results

The delay in Hilbert's inauguration is due to a legal dispute that arose after the election. A lawyer had challenged the validity of the election because two club members who were not entitled to vote were involved in the vote for the voters' association “Independent Citizens for Dresden”. However, the Bautzen Higher Administrative Court ruled in Hilbert's favor in March 2024. After several legal instances, it is clear: all legal options have been exhausted and the election remains valid, which now gives Hilbert the opportunity to be committed to the city council as mayor, more than three years after the election.

An interesting aspect of the Saxon Civil Service Act plays a role here: Hilbert does not have to renew his oath of office, as it is valid until the end of his service after he has taken it for the first time. This means that his term of office can seamlessly follow on from the previous one, in accordance with the Saxon municipal regulations.

Election and the political system

Local elections are an important foundation of the political order in Germany, as shown on the page slpb.de is explained. In Saxony, voters aged 18 and over have the right to take part in these elections. Mayors and district administrators are elected directly by the citizens, with the title of mayor being awarded in large cities. In the last election it was necessary to achieve a simple majority to win the post.

Hilbert's re-election and the upcoming official inauguration are important for Dresden because he has a clear agenda. The focus of his upcoming term in office will be secure energy supplies, affordable housing and social cohesion. The road to the inauguration was bumpy, but now political life in Dresden can enter a new phase with fresh momentum.