Status: 07.05.2022 3:19 p.m
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the heads of administration will be re-determined in six cities on Sunday. All previous mayors in Bergen, Stralsund, Wolgast, Malchin, Hagenow and Neustadt-Glewe are also running again.
The largest voting city is the Hanseatic City of Stralsund with around 49,000 voters. Mayor Alexander Badrow (CDU) wants to defend his office there. Among the larger towns in the country, Stralsund is the last with a CDU mayor. Alexander Badrow will stand for a third term on Sunday, also with the support of the FDP and the electoral community “Bürger für Stralsund”. After 14 years he wants to continue what he started. This also includes the development of the Volkswerft site into a maritime industrial and commercial park.
More co-determination for Stralsund residents
The Stralsund lawyer Marc Quintana Schmidt (Die Linke) and the Greifswald entrepreneur Melanie Rocksien-Riad compete against him. The 44-year-old Rocksien-Riad is new on the political stage in Stralsund. It is supported by the SPD and the Greens. Like Schmidt, she relies on more participation by Stralsund residents, regardless of whether they are old or young. Rocksien-Riad has also made the remunicipalisation of the hospital a campaign issue, as well as the entry of the Stralsunds into the new regional marketing association in Western Pomerania.
VIDEO: Stralsund has the choice: who will be mayor? (3 mins)
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Schmidt wants more social justice and campaigns against the announced cuts. In his election program, he continues to advocate cooperation with Russia and is committed to the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.
Clear decisions probably in the south and west
The situation in Malchin (Mecklenburg Lake District) is completely different. Incumbent Axel Müller (CDU) is the only candidate there. With only two applicants each, clear decisions are also expected in the elections in Hagenow and Neustadt-Glewe. In Hagenow, Jana Horn (CDU) takes on Mayor Thomas Möller (Left), in Neustadt-Glewe CDU man Steffen Klieme wants to replace incumbent Doreen Radelow (SPD).
Many applicants in Wolgast and Bergen
Due to the large number of candidates, runoff elections are expected in Wolgast and Bergen. They would take place on May 22nd. In Bergen, four men and one woman want to replace incumbent Anja Ratzke (independent). She has been in office since 2015. The CDU has put up 42-year-old Mirko Plötz, the left has 28-year-old Kevin Zenker and the FDP is sending Bianca Pahnke, 44, into the race. 47-year-old Raik Knüppel and 48-year-old Nico Gruber are independent.
More transparency and participation
Topics in the election campaign in Bergen are the development of the economy and tourism as well as health care and demographic change, but also local transport, which includes the surrounding communities. The challengers want to create more transparency, are in favor of greater citizen participation and more community between the different groups of residents and districts. Around 11,800 residents are entitled to vote.
Around 10,000 eligible voters in Wolgast
A similar picture emerges in Wolgast: a woman and four men also compete against Mayor Stefan Weigler (43) from the CDU. With Martin Schröter (58, independent) and Carsten Lange (52, AfD), there are two city representatives, plus the individual applicants Kathrin Potratz-Scheiba (39), Marco Baum (39) and Sven Reinke (42). Weigler has held the office in Wolgast for 14 years and wants to continue for another seven years. Among other things, he advertises with a so-called participatory budget for the votes of the approximately 10,000 eligible voters. It’s all about creative freedom for every part of Wolgast. All candidates are in favor of strengthening tourism and the economy, want to make administration even more citizen-friendly, revitalize the old town and thus make Wolgast more attractive as a place to live.
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