Mayor withdrawal in Altenberg: New election in January 2026!

Mayor withdrawal in Altenberg: New election in January 2026!

Altenberg, Deutschland - in Altenberg it goes haywire. The majority of the city council has decided to choose a new mayor on January 25, 2026. This happens after the reigning mayor Markus Wiesenberg will surprisingly resign at his own request on July 31, 2025. This was reported by sächsische.de . If no candidate reaches the absolute majority of over 50% of the votes in the first ballot, a second ballot for February 22, 2026 is scheduled.

Wiesenberg, who has been in office since 2022 and previously worked in the city's citizens' office, originally intended to stay until the end of 2025. Nevertheless, he pulled the ripcord, which is not least due to the city's financial difficulties. As well as MDR notes in Altenberg, while several kindergartens have to be closed.

challenges and backgrounds

Wiesenberg itself, as the main reasons for his resignation, leads above all the growing "discrepancies" between the city council and the administration. He had the feeling that communication did not function optimally and described some city council members as problematic. In particular, his predecessor Thomas Kirsten was criticized by Wiesenberg, since in his opinion he was not cooperative. In addition, health aspects are included in the decision.

The situation for the new mayor could be delicate. The deputy mayor André Barth (AfD) emphasizes the importance of the upcoming budget planning and signals the pressure on the new candidate. There is a tense situation in Altenberg, and the citizens had to protest against the closure of kindergartens, which reflects general dissatisfaction with the city administration.

The way to the election

The process of the mayoral election is under clear rules. According to the electoral code in Saxony, which can be read on elections.sachsen.de , the citizens of the community are elected. A mayor is elected for seven years, and in no absolute majority a second ballot has to take place. A new course will be taken in Altenberg, and it remains to be seen who will accept the challenges.

The next few months will be decisive because applicants will prepare for the election and the citizens will have the opportunity to give their vote. It remains exciting how the new challenges are addressed and whether the situation in Altenberg can turn better.