Westerstede elects: Rico Busch as non-party mayoral candidate!
Rico Busch becomes the joint mayoral candidate for Westerstede. Parties rely on experience and partial independence.

Westerstede elects: Rico Busch as non-party mayoral candidate!
Something is happening in the political sphere in Westerstede! There will be a common candidate for mayor in the 2026 local elections. How NWZonline reported, the parties UWG, CDU, SPD, FWG and FDP have agreed on Rico Busch as their candidate.
Busch, 43 years old and has been working for the Westerstede city administration for over 19 years, will succeed the incumbent mayor Michael Rösner, who is no longer standing for election. Busch, who currently serves as chamberlain, is described as “experienced, reliable and a man of clear words.” The parties are convinced that he has the necessary professional qualifications to master the city's challenges. The financial situation is anything but rosy, and the infrastructure also urgently needs attention, especially with regard to schools, daycare centers and roads.
Collaboration for the future
A uniform appearance could be of great importance in Westerstede. All parties are foregoing their own candidates in order to support Busch as an independent mayor. In doing so, they hope to promote cross-party action and ensure proximity to the citizens and transparency in his administration. The parties formulate their expectations of Busch provocatively: “The treasurer should become a caretaker.” A clear appeal for citizen-oriented politics!
In a larger context, however, it becomes clear that finding capable candidates for political office in Germany is often difficult. Loud Campaign Center Many local associations are having difficulty finding suitable people, and non-partisan administrative specialists are increasingly applying. It's about a functioning democracy and party work, with the personality and professional experiences of the candidates being the focus. The parties hope that they have made the right choice in Busch in order to effectively master the challenges ahead.
Local elections in focus
The local elections in Germany are an anthill of activity. As a rule, they are characterized by local characteristics, with voting behavior often being issue- and project-oriented. Citizens not only elect their representatives, but also directly elect their mayors - an important element that is enshrined in Article 28 of the Basic Law bpb explained. On average, voter turnout in local elections is often lower than in state and federal elections. This is also an indication of the challenges that parties face in stimulating interest and motivation among citizens.
For travelers in Westerstede: An apple tree is currently being planted here - so that the next elections will be fruitful and the citizens will soon be able to give their city a strong and united voice again!