Election campaign in Altenberg: financial distress, daycare centers and the future of the region!

Election campaign in Altenberg: financial distress, daycare centers and the future of the region!

Things go haywire in Altenberg. The city, a popular winter sports resort with 7,500 residents, is looking for a new mayor because Markus Wiesenberg (CDU) has announced his resignation. This is a real blow, resulting from the dramatic financial crisis. Wiesenberg, who was only elected with a large majority in 2022, no longer felt able to carry out his office properly given the tense situation. One of the main reasons he cited was the limited scope for action in the administration and the problems with state and federal funding. Altenberg has to take on more and more tasks, but gets less and less money, and that causes unrest in the city. A good example of this development is the declining number of children, which already led to protests and resistance in the city council when Wiesenberg planned to merge or close several kindergartens. In his resignation speech, Wiesenberg also expressed dissatisfaction with the animosity in the city council.

At a public election event in the Altenberg nursing home on Tuesday evening, where four non-party candidates were present - including Johanna Franz, Toni Kumpf and Attila Dorkó - the financial situation was the dominant topic. First Deputy Mayor André Barth (AfD) particularly emphasized that the city is struggling with outdated structures. At the same time, the income from falling trade tax revenues is not sufficient to cover the high social expenses. Barth called for the implementation of a budget structure concept so that Altenberg can get back on its feet. It remains to be seen how voters will react to the announced measures.

Topics in focus

How the city adapts to the challenges will certainly depend on the discussion about the daycare structure. The already closed kindergarten in Zinnwald-Georgenfeld is just the beginning. Facilities are also at stake in Altenberg itself, and these urgently need to be invested in the existing infrastructure. The goal is clear: the daycare centers should be distributed so that they are accessible to all districts.

Another central topic is tourism. Altenberg has ambitious plans to establish itself as a holiday region, but is fighting against tough competition, especially from the popular Saxon Switzerland. The city has many attractions such as mountain meadows, forests, hiking and mountain bike trails as well as numerous other leisure activities. Barth suggests founding a tourism company in order to develop a sustainable concept. A well-thought-out concept could help increase visitor numbers.

Lithium mining: opportunity or risk?

Another point of discussion concerns the planned lithium mining in Zinnwald, which could potentially create 300 to 400 jobs and increase trade tax revenue. But the joy of this is accompanied by numerous concerns. Many citizens are particularly concerned about interventions in nature and the associated environmental pollution. While Attila Dorkó signals a clear rejection of mining, the other candidates express themselves more cautiously, recognizing both the opportunities and the risks.

The city's financial difficulties have not only been known since yesterday. The city council has just agreed to an increase in the cash loan in order to pre-finance important investments such as broadband expansion. The municipality is heavily indebted and, after years of underfinancing from the Free State, is faced with a loan of 6 million euros. The district association of the Saxon Association of Cities and Municipalities calls the financial situation of many municipalities, including Altenberg, alarming. Given increased energy costs and constantly increasing expenses, the pressure on the city is enormous, and it is to be hoped that future decisions will be made wisely and sustainably.

The new mayoral election in Altenberg is scheduled to take place at the beginning of 2026. Until then, it remains to be seen how the candidates plan to address the challenges and whether citizens can set a clear direction. There are many decisions to be made and the concerns of the population must be taken seriously. So the question remains: Who will take over the helm in Altenberg and with what plan? Further information and current developments can also be found at Sächsische, Image and MDR.