Suche
Mein Konto
Cologne in a frenzy of votes: Who will be the new mayor?
On September 14, 2025, the people of Cologne will elect a new mayor. 13 candidates are running. Who will achieve the majority?
Cologne in a frenzy of votes: Who will be the new mayor?
Today, September 14, 2025, the time has finally come: Cologne is voting. The local elections are taking place this Sunday, and over 800,000 citizens eligible to vote are called upon to cast their votes. An exciting day lies ahead for the city, because not only the mayor will be elected, the future city council and district representatives will also be on the ballot paper. The incumbent mayor Henriette Reker (SPD) will not run again, so eyes are on the numerous candidates.
A total of 13 applicants are fighting for the highest office in Cologne. As wa.de reports, there are numerous exciting personalities among them:
- 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)
Runoff election or clear decision?
Things get particularly exciting when no candidate achieves the required majority of 50 percent of the vote. In this case, a runoff election will take place on September 28th. The survey results show that Torsten Burmester of the SPD is in the lead with 15 percent, followed by Berivan Aymaz of the Greens with 13 percent and Markus Greitemann of the CDU with 11 percent. But as WDR notes, the result can change quickly on election day. Polling offices are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and forecasts of election results are expected immediately after the offices close.
It is important to note that in addition to the mayor's office, the city council, the nine district representatives and the integration council are also elected. The decision-makers are elected from the 90 members of the city council, who in turn run in 45 electoral districts.
Look back at the last elections
Cologne has experienced interesting electoral dynamics in the past. In the last local elections in 2020, the Greens won the most seats on the city council and have since formed a majority alliance with the CDU and Volt. This is a remarkable change when you look at the evolution of vote shares over the years. There are also interesting figures on [Wikipedia](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Results_der_Kommunalwahlen_in_K%C3%B6ln) that show how the electorate has changed its decisions over the decades.
Whatever the outcome of today's elections, Cologne residents have the opportunity to contribute their voices and help decide how the city should develop in the coming years. Today's elections are not only a duty, but also an opportunity to actively shape the city.