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Cologne municipal election 2025: Who will be Reker's successor? All information!
Cologne's 2025 local elections: 13 candidates are fighting for the mayor's office. Vote by 6 p.m.! Information about the election and results.
Cologne municipal election 2025: Who will be Reker's successor? All information!
Today, September 14, 2025, is the big election day for the citizens of Cologne. Over 800,000 eligible voters in the Rhine metropolis have had the opportunity to cast their votes since 8 a.m. The polling offices are open until 6 p.m. so that everyone has the chance to actively participate in the local elections. Around 14 million eligible voters in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) are called upon to cast their votes today. This is the last major election of 2023 in Germany, and around 20,000 mandates will be awarded in 396 cities and municipalities, 31 districts and in the Ruhr Parliament. Those elected include mayors, mayors, district administrators as well as city and integration councils and district representatives.
At stake in Cologne is the successor to Henriette Reker, the incumbent mayor, who will not run again. A total of 13 candidates are applying for the prestigious office. The favorites include Markus Greitemann (CDU), Berivan Aymaz (Alliance 90/The Greens) and Torsten Burmester (SPD). ZDF reports that the election in NRW is a mix of direct election and proportional representation and that runoff elections may be necessary on September 28th if no candidate receives the required 50 percent of the vote.
The Cologne candidate selection
Who exactly wants to go to town hall? Here is the list of applicants for the office of mayor:
- Dr. Mark Oliver Benecke (Die Partei)
- Berivan Aymaz (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
- Torsten Burmester (SPD)
- Matthias Torben Büschges (AfD)
- Roberto Campione (KSG)
- Inga Feuser (Gut & Klima Freunde)
- Markus Heinrich Maria Greitemann (CDU)
- Volker Görzel (FDP)
- Ali Güçlü (Zoon Politikon n. Aristoteles, Einzelbewerber)
- Heike Flora Herden (PdF)
- Heiner Kockerbeck (Die Linke)
- Hans Wilhelm Mörtter (Einzelbewerber)
- Lars Daniel Wolfram (Volt)
The mood in the election offices is calm, as Rundschau-Online reports, which indicates good organization. Delays or long queues are apparently a rarity. The youngest election worker in the city, Giulianna Göb from the Agnesviertel, has taken on responsibility and shows that the younger generations are already actively involved in the political processes.
Important topics of the election
Affordable housing, infrastructure development and the condition of daycare centers and schools are among the most pressing issues that also concern the electorate in Cologne. These questions have not escaped the attention of the Cologne parties, and they have presented different plans accordingly. A clear trend is emerging: dissatisfaction with the federal government also influences local voting behavior. The Forsa survey shows that Torsten Burmester of the SPD is in the lead with 15 percent. Berivan Aymaz follows him with 13 percent and Markus Greitemann with 11 percent.
Another point: In this local election, even 16 and 17 year olds are allowed to cast their vote for the first time, which brings a breath of fresh air and new perspectives to the electoral process. The electoral board will count the votes immediately after the election offices close, but the complete count could take until Monday, September 15th.
There is a lot at stake and the people of Cologne are called upon to actively shape their fate. Whether it's about party affiliations or solutions to pressing problems - election day promises to be exciting!