Runoff election in Frankfurt (Oder): Strasser vs. Möller – Who will get the job?

Runoff election in Frankfurt (Oder): Strasser vs. Möller – Who will get the job?

The mayoral election in Frankfurt (Oder) is stirring emotions - next Sunday, October 12th, Axel Strasser and Wilko Möller will compete against each other in the runoff election. Axel Strasser, a non-party candidate, won 32.4% of the vote in the first round, while the AfD candidate Möller got 30.2%. Since none of the candidates achieved an absolute majority, the decision is now pending. The election is particularly noteworthy because if Möller wins, he would be the AfD's first mayor in Germany, as Tagesspiegel reports.

The previous mayor, René Wilke, has now moved to the state government of Brandenburg. This was followed by the election of the new mayor. Wilke had previously supported CDU candidate Désirée Schrade, who only achieved 28.8% in the first round. Simona Koß from the SPD brought up the rear with 8.6%. A total of around 46,000 citizens in Frankfurt (Oder) were eligible to vote, and the turnout was 53.4%. This shows that the population's interest in this election is significant, even if the participation is not outstanding given the demographic conditions, as [Statista](https://de.statista.com/themen/175/wahl participation/) shows.

Axel Strasser's ideas

Axel Strasser, who has lived in Frankfurt (Oder) for five years, has a background in political science and at the IHK Ostbrandenburg. He wants to make the city's administration more digital, faster and multilingual. His plans include promoting integration through a citizens' app that will bring together all of the city's services. Strasser also stated that the administration would like to provide offerings in multiple languages, particularly English and Polish.

Another focus of Strasser is economic development. He plans to bring new companies from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors to Frankfurt (Oder). He has also put the improvement of the Oder promenade and a revitalization of life on the river on his agenda.

The perspective for Möller

Wilko Möller, a former police officer and member of the Brandenburg state parliament, focuses his politics on security issues. If he wins, he could signal a significant shift in the city's political landscape. This is a key election for the AfD, as Möller's victory would not only represent a historic turning point, but could also create a more stable political basis for his party.

The coming days will be crucial for the political direction of Frankfurt (Oder). Axel Strasser has emphasized that cooperation with the AfD is out of the question under his leadership. This already shows how the political fronts are going in this city.

Citizens are asked to cast their vote in the runoff election and thus take an active part in shaping politics. Voter turnout will once again be an important measure of the political participation of Frankfurt citizens.