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Gelsenkirchen has a new mayor: Andrea Henze is taking over!
Andrea Henze will become the new mayor of Gelsenkirchen on November 1, 2025. She follows Karin Welge and focuses on being close to the citizens.
Gelsenkirchen has a new mayor: Andrea Henze is taking over!
Gelsenkirchen has a new head at the top! Andrea Henze, the city's 49-year-old social affairs officer, officially accepted her election as mayor on October 1, 2025. She will take office on November 1, 2025 and succeeds Karin Welge, who did not stand for election after five years. Henze received the support of Gelsenkirchen voters in the runoff election on September 28th and is determined to be a mayor for everyone in the city. “I am pleased about the trust and support of the voters,” she said about her choice radioemscherlippe.de reported.
The official acceptance of the election took place in the presence of Karin Welge, who expressed her confidence in Henze. The district returning officer Luidger Wolterhoff confirmed the official final result of the runoff election. Andrea Henze, who lives in Gelsenkirchen-Horst, not only has extensive experience in the social affairs department, but also in educational administration. Their clear goal is to convince the people of Gelsenkirchen that the public administration is capable of acting and can take care of the concerns and problems of the citizens. gelsenkirchen.de quotes her as wanting to connect with citizens and respond to their needs.
The election campaign at a glance
The local elections, which took place on September 14, 2025, brought with them an exciting campaign period. In addition to Henze, other candidates were also in the race for mayor. Laura Rosen from the CDU ran for the second time and brought her experience as an office manager in the tax office and in the city council. Norbert Emmerich (AfD) and Susanne Cichos (FDP) were also represented derwesten.de reports.
Martin Gatzemeier from the Left focused on environmental and health protection, while the other candidates, such as Jan Specht and Sinan Böcek from various voter initiatives, wanted to bring a breath of fresh air into Gelsenkirchen politics. Overall, not only the mayor's office, but also the city council, the district representatives as well as the integration council and the Ruhr parliament were replaced in this election.
Everything at a glance
| candidate | party | Old | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea Henze | SPD | 49 | Head of social affairs, experience in the education department |
| Laura Rosen | CDU | 30 | Head of tax office, city council |
| Norbert Emmerich | AfD | 72 | Financial advisor, former soldier |
| Susanne Cichos | FDP | 56 | Commitment to women's rights and local economy |
| Martin Gatzemeier | The left | Unknown | Group leader in the city council |
With Andrea Henze, Gelsenkirchen is expecting a committed mayor who not only wants to listen to her citizens, but also wants to get involved. The challenges are great, but with a clear plan and the support of voters, things could be exciting for the city in the coming term.