Aidhausen votes: Mayor's office finally becomes full-time!

Aidhausen votes: Mayor's office finally becomes full-time!

In a groundbreaking step, the municipal council of Aidhausen in the Haßberge district has decided to run the mayor's office full-time in the future. This happened with a clear majority of 10 to 3 votes. The current mayor Dieter Möhring from the Free Voters, who is currently still working on a voluntary basis, has announced that he will stand for re-election. The next local elections in Bavaria are already taking place on March 8, 2026. This could be a significant turning point for the community's approximately 1,647 residents.

The decision in Aidhausen is part of a nationwide trend aimed at making mayoral offices more attractive, especially in smaller communities. How kommunal.de reported, changes in Bavaria since 2023 have meant that mayoral offices can already be held full-time in municipalities with more than 2,500 inhabitants. Before this reform, the limit was 5,000 inhabitants. This initiative is intended primarily to encourage women to take on political positions and overcome the challenges of local politics.

Challenges for volunteers

The situation of volunteer mayors in Germany is becoming increasingly precarious. Loud tagesschau.de Around 60 percent of the 10,788 mayors in Germany work on a voluntary basis. They often find themselves in a dilemma: the demands on their role increase, while appreciation and support decrease. Uwe Jannaschk, the honorary mayor of Rettershain, describes his work as a “one-man show” and struggles with a growing time commitment, which averages 20 hours per week.

The financial situation of many communities is also tense. Many municipal budgets are in deficit, and dependence on key allocations increases the difficulties. This is exacerbated by increasing bureaucratic complexity and various regulations, such as the Kita Quality Act, which means high additional costs for communities. Experts are therefore calling for comprehensive structural changes to improve municipal finances.

• 45% der ehrenamtlichen Bürgermeister haben ihren Hauptberuf reduziert.
• 27% sind nicht berufstätig, meist Rentner.
• Die monatliche Aufwandsentschädigung für ehrenamtliche Bürgermeister variiert stark, in Bayern zwischen 3.731 Euro und 6.888 Euro, abhängig von der Gemeindegröße.

At a time when the complexity of municipal tasks is constantly growing, full-time mayors like Birgit Steinsdorfer from Rohr have demonstrated how necessary professional staffing is. She emphasizes that her gross salary of 6,100 euros per month justifies the numerous tasks that a full-time mayor bears.

Ultimately, it turns out that the decision in Aidhausen is part of a larger trend that could permanently change local politics. It remains to be seen how the implementation of these reforms will affect municipal structures and the appreciation for political office.