Politics in focus: OB race in Kulmbach - who will be the challenger?

Politics in focus: OB race in Kulmbach - who will be the challenger?

Something is happening in Cologne: the local elections are coming up on September 14, 2025, and the city is preparing for an exciting and groundbreaking election. The mayoral election is receiving particular attention, as the current independent incumbent, Henriette Reker, will not stand for re-election after two terms in office. This marks the end of an era, and a total of 13 candidates have agreed to step into the ring. But who do Cologne residents have to choose?

There are some familiar faces among the applicants. Berîvan Aymaz from the Greens, who has been a member of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament since 2017, is committed to sustainability and wants to achieve new things in the areas of housing and local transport. Markus Greitemann from the CDU focuses on housing and education, while Torsten Burmester from the SPD wants to score points with his experience in the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The Left with Heiner Kockerbeck and the FDP under Volker Görzel have also set their individual priorities, ranging from the issue of security to reducing bureaucracy and social justice.

Candidates at a glance

Here is an overview of the candidates and their programs:

• Berîvan Aymaz (Grüne) – Fokus auf Nachhaltigkeit und Klimaneutralität bis 2035.
• Markus Greitemann (CDU) – Prioritäten: Wohnungsbau, Sicherheit, Bildung.
• Torsten Burmester (SPD) – Schwerpunkte: bezahlbarer Wohnraum und Unterstützung von Start-ups.
• Heiner Kockerbeck (Linke) – Fokus auf soziale Gerechtigkeit und Bildungsverbesserungen.
• Volker Görzel (FDP) – Ziele: Bürokratieabbau und Sicherheit.
• Lars Wolfram (Volt) – Mobilitätswende und Digitalisierung der Verwaltung.
• Matthias Büschges (AfD) – Sicherheit, Sauberkeit, Bürokratieabbau.
• Mark Benecke (Die PARTEI) – Amüsante Forderungen, wie Rückbau der Kölner Oper.
• Inga Feuser (Gut & Klimafreunde) – Klimaschutz und Ausbau des ÖPNV.
• Heike Flora Herden (PdF) – Themen: Wohnen und Bürgerbeteiligung.
• Ali Güçlü (parteilos) – Schwerpunkte: wirtschaftliche Entwicklung und soziale Gerechtigkeit.
• Roberto Campione (Kölner Stadtgesellschaft) – 11-Punkte-Plan für Sicherheit und Sauberkeit.
• Hans Mörtter (parteilos) – Fokus auf bezahlbaren Wohnraum.

An exciting election is on the horizon, especially since a runoff election could take place on September 28, 2025 if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote. The people of Cologne are called upon to inform themselves and make their mark.

Political events in focus

In addition to the elections, important political issues in the city will also be discussed today. Interviews, city council work and press releases are on the agenda. In particular, the interview with Manfred Weber and the nomination of mayoral candidate Ralf Hartnack for Kulmbach, who will run against incumbent Ingo Lehmann and other candidates in spring 2026, are a topic of conversation. The Kulmbach voters' community will also meet at 6 p.m. in the Kommunbräu to discuss their city council list.

There are a lot of things on the political agenda of the city of Cologne in the near future. It remains exciting to see who will ultimately take the mayor's office and how the plans of the respective candidates will influence Cologne residents in the future.

Further information about the local elections and the candidates can be found at 24rhine and details on the scheduling of the elections government gazette.