New face for Staufen: Who will be the next mayor?

New face for Staufen: Who will be the next mayor?

A new chapter in Staufen is approaching as the mayoral election is approaching. On Sunday, citizens are called upon to cast their votes. After almost 25 years in office, Michael Benitz is no longer running for re-election. He announced his decision to hand over his successor in December 2024. During that time, he enjoyed an impressive re-election of 96.1 percent of the vote in 2017, but now it's time for change. The election promises to be exciting, as five candidates are standing for election, including the only woman in the race, Pia Riesterer.

Pia Riesterer is 50 years old and not only has many years of experience as a local councilor, but also holds the position of deputy mayor. She heads the communications department at Sparkasse Staufen-Breisach and, as an independent candidate, would like to build bridges and lead the city administration with her expertise and leadership. “Knowing the city well and acting actively” is of great importance to her. Riesterer calls for the active participation of citizens and emphasizes the importance of citizen-oriented policies that promote openness and transparency, which goes hand in hand with the goal of running local government efficiently.

Candidates at a glance

The other four candidates are also anything but unknown in the region:

• Benjamin Bröcker (36 Jahre), ehrenamtlicher Bürgermeister von Horben und Staatsanwalt in Freiburg, bringt seine Sichtweise auf die kommunalen Herausforderungen mit ein.
• Gilbert Weber (36 Jahre) arbeitet seit 2021 als persönlicher Referent beim Regierungspräsidium Freiburg und bringt somit politische Erfahrungen mit.
• Marco Prinzbach (38 Jahre) ist bereits in der Gemeindeverwaltung von Grenzach-Wyhlen aktiv gewesen und leitet seit 2022 den Fachbereich Bauen und Finanzen in Neuenburg.
• Andreas Wiesler (36 Jahre) ist Quereinsteiger, betreibt ein Café in Staufen und hat Erfahrungen aus verschiedenen Tätigkeiten, unter anderem bei der Bundeswehr, gesammelt.

Despite her diverse backgrounds, Pia Riesterer is the only female candidate, which is quite remarkable in the current political landscape. A study shows that the proportion of women in local politics is still low at 27 percent. Women in political office are often confronted with reservations, as former mayoral candidate Petra Heller reported on difficulties she experienced because of her gender. Despite the hurdles, women like Riesterer are committed to taking active action and being visible in leadership positions.

Current topics and challenges

One of the big challenges for the new mayor will be the city's financial situation, which will become increasingly tight from 2026. Furthermore, geothermal stress, which has affected many of the over 200 affected houses in Staufen since 2007, remains an issue that must be urgently addressed. This damage has had a major impact on urban life. The example of Staufen shows how important creative, responsible and forward-looking policies are in order to meet the needs of citizens.

The election campaign is all about participation and the search for solutions to the challenges facing the city. It remains exciting to see who can convince voters and which issues will come to the fore.

For more information about the candidates and the election, visit the official website Pia Riesterer or read the coverage from SWR Current as well as Deutschlandfunk culture.