Halle/Saale (my hometown) mayoral election, 2006
It's time for a rather obscure German election on local level. ;-) Nonetheless it's an election a will most likely cast my vote in.
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, with a population of about 235.000. The mayor is directly elected for a seven-year term. If neither of the candidates receives more than 50.0%, a run-off is held between the two most successful candidates from the first round. From 1991 to 2000 the office of the mayor was held by Klaus Rauen (CDU), and from 2000 on by Ingrid Häußler (SPD), who will retire next year. This year's election will be held on
November 12, with the run-off (if necessary) being scheduled for
November 26.
The candidates:
Dagmar Szabados (SPD)- Deputy mayor of Halle
Bernhard Bönisch (CDU)- Leader of the CDU in the city council of Halle / member of the state parliament of Saxon-Anhalt
Bodo Meerheim (Left.PDS)- Leader of the Left.PDS in the city council of Halle
Tom Wolter (Independent)- Member of the city council of Halle / stage actor and theater director
Dirk Beyse (Independent)- Owner of a chain of jewelry stores in Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony
The only candidates with realistic chances of winning the election are Szabados (SPD), Bönisch (CDU), and Meerheim (Left.PDS).
Dirk Beyse is considered a mere "joke candidate" without any coherent platform and many suspect that he his only running to promote his jewelry stores. I've seen him once in the city and I can say he's a complete jerk.
Tom Wolter is following a more serious approach with his campaign, but he is almost certainly doomed because of his lack of experience as well as his lack of support (= money) from major parties (there were some rumours that he might get the endorsement of the Greens and some local political groups in the city council, but I haven't heard anything that it has actually happened yet).
Having been deputy mayor for the last 15 years, I would say that Szabados is clearly the candidate with the most name recognition and also the candidate with the best chances to win. In addition, former mayor Klaus Rauen (CDU) recently shocked his party by officially endorsing Szabados (and not the CDU candidate Bönisch). My estimate is that Szabados finishes first, but fails to win more than 50% of the vote. The run-off will then either be duel between Szabados and Bönisch or Szabados and Meerheim... which will be won Szabados.
The results of the 2000 mayoral election:
First roundIngrid Häußler (SPD): 44.8%
Uwe-Jens Rössel (PDS): 18.8%
Detlef Schubert (CDU): 16.3%
Lutz Kahler (Independent): 9.0%
Bernd Küpperbusch (Independent): 6.2%
Other candidates: 4.8%
Turnout: 37.5%
Second roundIngrid Häußler (SPD): 67.1%
Uwe-Jens Rössel (PDS): 32.9%
Turnout: 30.5%