Markus Renner wins mayoral election in Meißen with 58.5%!

Markus Renner wins mayoral election in Meißen with 58.5%!

A new mayor was found in Meißen on September 7, 2025. The independent Markus Renner, who has served as finance mayor since 2016, was able to prevail in the first round of voting with an impressive majority of 58.5 percent of the vote. Renner is 45 years old, born in Karl-Marx-Stadt and lives in Meißen with his wife and four children. After 21 years in office, the previous mayor Olaf Raschke did not run again. Renner is supported as a candidate by a broad alliance consisting of 26 city council members, including the CDU, “Citizens for Meißen” (Greens), SPD and the Left.

The second-place candidate, René Jurisch, who comes from the construction industry and ran for the AfD, achieved an impressive result with 30.5 percent of the vote. Jurisch, who was briefly active in the right-wing extremist NPD about 25 years ago, ran for the AfD without official membership status. Since June 2024, this party has established itself as the strongest force in the Meißen city council and has been classified as right-wing extremist by the state Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Martin Bahrmann from the FDP came in third with 11.1 percent of the vote. The voter turnout was a good 52 percent, which means that 22,554 citizens of Meißen cast their votes.

Important impulses for the city

Markus Renner has made a name for himself not only through his previous positions in the city administration, but also through his studies in Meißen, where he graduated as an administrative economist. He previously worked as head of the public order office and therefore has a lot of experience in dealing with municipal affairs. His broad support suggests that he has a positive development in mind for Meißen.

The SPD, Greens, Left and parts of the CDU value Renner as a competent negotiator who wants to advocate for the interests of the people in Meißen. His election could bring a breath of fresh air into the local political landscape.

The AfD and its role

The AfD has gained a lot of support in Germany in recent years, especially in East Germany. In 2017 it was a big issue in the federal election with 12.6 percent of the vote. In Saxony in particular, the AfD has shaped political discussions in recent years and was even the strongest party in 2021 with 24.6 percent of the vote. A large proportion of voters are dissatisfied with existing policies, which has helped the AfD achieve its resounding success, particularly among men aged 35 to 59.

The results of the election in Meißen show that the electorate here also reacts sensitively to issues such as migration and refugee policy. The high number of votes for Jurisch demonstrates the AfD's continued support in the region, which it perceives as an “anti-establishment party”. The ongoing trend driven by the AfD requires the other parties to rethink their approach in order to win back voters. There is already a certain amount of tension in the air in Meißen's local politics.

The provisional election results still have to be confirmed by the municipal election committee. Nevertheless, it should be clear that with Markus Renner at the helm, Meißen is facing new challenges that will shape the entire city in the coming years.