Election evening in Frechen: town halls closed – citizens are looking for alternatives!

Election evening in Frechen: town halls closed – citizens are looking for alternatives!

The local elections are just around the corner and exciting developments are emerging in the Rhein-Erft district. This time everything will be different: In Frechen and Hürth, the town halls will remain closed on election evening, an unconventional step that causes frowning faces. How Cologne City Gazette reports, the administration and the mayor in Frechen, together with two councilors, have decided that citizens, candidates and politicians will not be invited to the town hall. This decision is met with criticism and incomprehension across all parties.

However, such events traditionally take place in town halls so that citizens have the opportunity to experience the election results together on election evening. The incumbent mayor Susanne Stupp will not congratulate people live, and the mayoral candidates will not appear together. While the CDU is planning a barbecue at the home of its candidate Gerd Koslowski, the SPD is meeting in the old meeting room of the town hall and the perspective for Frechen suggests the cozy atmosphere of an ice cream parlor. The decision to outsource the competition presentation was made because the results can be viewed via the digital vote manager. So a central event seemed unnecessary.

The election preparations in Frechen

The Free Voters’ Association “Perspective for Frechen” is also ready to vote in September. At the last meeting, the members filled all 23 electoral districts with committed candidates. Maximilian Singer, the first chairman, is optimistic about the coming elections and emphasizes the importance of an independent alternative to the established parties. Wolfgang Höfig was unanimously elected as mayoral candidate, and Dieter Zander heads the reserve list. The WG plans to address important issues such as the expansion of school buildings, sports halls, living space and traffic development, while also aiming for safety and cleanliness in the city center. The focus is on proximity to citizens and transparency; The group would also like to broadcast public meetings on the Internet.

Town halls across the region are getting ready for the upcoming elections. While Frechen and Hürth are foregoing central events, other cities show how important this evening remains to the citizens. Cities like Bedburg, Bergheim, Brühl, Elsdorf, Erftstadt, Kerpen, Pulheim and Wesseling cordially invite everyone to experience the election results live. For example, the district council building in Bergheim will be opened as a media center for interested citizens from 5:45 p.m., while Bergheim will project the results on three screens in the council chamber. The city of Brühl also opens the chapter house and presents the results in the foyer.

The decision not to hold the election presentations in the town hall is being discussed further and raises questions about proximity to the citizens and political culture. It remains to be seen how voters in Frechen and the surrounding area will react to these changes. The local elections on September 14, 2025 will definitely redefine some perspectives and could have a lasting impact on the political picture in the city. other issues such as the development of financing issues for urban projects required by the WG could represent stumbling blocks for future governance.