Political restart in Bottrop: New council meets on November 4th!

Political restart in Bottrop: New council meets on November 4th!

A significant political restart is imminent: On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, the new council of the city of Bottrop will meet for the first time since the local elections. After an intensive election phase, many citizens are looking forward to the coming council period, which will be celebrated with an ecumenical service in St. Martin's Church at 1 p.m. The constituent meeting will then take place at 3 p.m. in the large meeting room of the town hall, where some important decisions will be made.

The new mayor, Matthias Buschfeld from the SPD, will be ceremoniously sworn in at this meeting. He won the runoff election on September 28th with an impressive 61.89% of the vote, clearly beating his competitor Frank Kien from the CDU, who got 38.11%. The voter turnout was 35.63%, which corresponds to 31,935 votes cast, and Matthias Buschfeld was elected by 19,458 voters. In the first round on September 14th, he already received 19,101 votes, which accounted for 38.51%. The entry hurdle for local co-determination was definitely there, even if voter turnout did not reach the highest levels. For comparison: In many German cities, participation of over 80% is the goal, as Statista data on voter turnout shows, which indicates that older voters in particular will again have a strong influence on the elections in 2025.

Matthias Buschfeld's new role

Matthias Buschfeld succeeds Bernd Tischler, who was mayor for 16 years. The introduction to his new office will be a central point of the inaugural meeting. The introduction and commitment of the council members as well as the election of the deputy voluntary mayors are also on the agenda. The full agenda can be accessed online to give all interested citizens an insight into the meeting content.

Although voter turnout in Bottrop has not reached its highest level, it is clear that interest in political decisions is becoming increasingly important. Those eligible to vote have the opportunity to cast their vote and have an active say in the future direction of the city. The political developments and their influence on society are of particular interest, and the new mayor Buschfeld seems to be starting his term in office with fresh enthusiasm and clear goals.

A look at voter turnout

Voter turnout can be seen as an indicator of the population's political interest. In Germany, fewer citizens usually take part in local elections than in federal elections. With a share of 35.63% in Bottrop, the city is not alone here; Nationwide, there is a trend for younger voters to be less active, while participation among citizens over 70 is increasing. This gives the decision-makers in Bottrop a clear indication of how important political education and commitment are for the young generation.

The start of the new council term on November 4th will show whether Matthias Buschfeld and his team are able to get the citizens of Bottrop excited about political issues and motivate them to actively participate, because political life in Bottrop has only just begun.