Ravensburg's Mayor Rapp: It's my life's work!

Ravensburg's Mayor Rapp: It's my life's work!

The next state election in Ravensburg is on March 8, 2026, and mayor Daniel Rapp plans to run for a third term. He sees his work in the town hall as his life's work and would like to continue to direct the city's fortunes. Rapp, who has been active for the city of Ravensburg since his first election in 2010, faces the challenge of facing potential competition, but says he is leaving it open whether opposing candidates will enter the ring.

Reactions to his administration so far have been mixed. While many citizens appreciate his work, there are also critical voices, especially when it comes to structural developments. Still, Rapp has received generally positive feedback in his interactions with citizens and describes his experiences as mostly injury-free. “It’s only 10% of my work that I spend in public,” he explains, “the rest consists of management, meetings and advising people.”

Professional background

The Erlanger native is well established in local politics. He began his career as mayor of Sigmaringen and worked there from July 2006 to May 2010 before moving to the mayor's chair of Ravensburg. His first election was comparatively exciting because he beat Oswald Metzger in the second round. When he was re-elected in 2018, Rapp won with an impressive majority of 93.1% of the vote.

His everyday life includes a wide range of tasks. As chairman of the local council and head of the city administration, he leads Department I, which includes areas such as the main office, finance and economic development. In his role, Rapp also takes care of international partnerships and civic engagement. In doing so, he builds a special bridge between administrative duties and social aspects of city administration, not least as patron of the Ravensburger Rutenfest.

Personal insights

Rapp, who is also active as a member of “Mayors for Peace”, combines the tasks of a pastor with those of an entrepreneur in his role as mayor. Born on May 22, 1972 in Erlangen and raised in Riedlingen, he gained a broad range of experience through studying law and a subsequent career in state administration. He is known to a wider audience not only as a politician, but also as a family man - he is married and has a son.

Ravensburg's cityscape is decisively shaped by his administration, and the coming elections could influence the current course. While new candidates or re-applicants are also lined up in other cities such as Bad Rappenau or Bruchsal, it remains to be seen what political waves Rapp can make before the election in March 2026. Numerous initiatives and projects are on the agenda that generate both controversy and approval among the population.