Cologne in election fever: Who will succeed Reker?

Cologne in election fever: Who will succeed Reker?

On September 14, 2025, Cologne voters will be faced with an important decision: the local elections will not only involve the election of new district representatives, an integration council and the city council, but also the search for a successor to Mayor Henriette Reker. Around 813,000 Cologne residents are called to vote and the polling stations are open on this day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Making a voting decision can be a challenge, but with the “FragDieWahl” offer, voters receive support in finding out about the programs of the participating parties.

As in Ehrenfeld, preparations are in full swing. In this city district, which includes electoral districts 18 to 22, 13 candidates have registered for the office of mayor. Among the candidacy details, there is a wide range of professions and backgrounds voters will have to choose from. The Cologne CDU is sending a colorful ensemble to the electoral districts, including Dr. Ulrike Gruner as a candidate in Ehrenfeld I and Dr. John Chukwuemeka Akude in Ehrenfeld II.

Candidates and their goals

The SPD is also starting with fresh faces; Manon Elisabeth Klein will compete for Ehrenfeld I, while Elisabeth Rohata will take the helm in Ehrenfeld II. There are also strong personalities at the start for the Greens: Dîlan Yazicioglu in Ehrenfeld I and Christiane Martin in Ehrenfeld II. The other parties are represented with different topics and candidates from the district who are experienced in them, which makes for an exciting election campaign.

The list of candidates reads like a who's who of local politics and offers interesting election programs. In Ehrenfeld III, Oliver Seeck is running for the SPD, while the GREENS are represented by Markus Harald Kuckertz. This shows how diverse the political landscape in Cologne is.

Voting aids for Cologne voters

In addition to “FragDieWahl”, innovative tools such as “Wahl-O-Mat” are also available to voters in Cologne. These tools are intended to help increase voter turnout. The “lokal-o-mat”, developed specifically for Cologne, offers voters the opportunity to take a clear position on political issues. Students at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf have implemented these platforms to give voters more orientation in the political jungle.

Thanks to the large number of digital offerings, it is becoming easier for many people to cast their votes and make informed decisions. The demand for these voting aids has increased steadily in recent years. Not least because more and more young people are interested in political influence.

Preparations for the Cologne local elections are in full swing and discussions about the candidates' election programs are already in full swing. Cologne residents can look forward to an exciting election day where every vote counts. Whether CDU, SPD, Greens, or another party – the next mayor could just as easily emerge from one of the many other ideas.