Heidelberg (dpa / lsw) – Three women and six men are running for the mayoral election in Heidelberg. The municipal election committee did not allow three applicants because they could not submit the required 150 supporter signatures, a city spokesman said on Tuesday. The incumbent Eckart Würzner (independent) will stand for re-election on November 6th, the strongest competitor is likely to be the long-standing Minister of Science Theresia Bauer (Greens). In addition, city councilors Sören Michelsburg (SPD), Bernd Zieger (Die Linke) and Björn Leuzinger (DieParty) throw their hats into the ring.
Angeliki Alina Papagiannaki-Sönmez is running for the “Heidelberg on the move” voters’ association. The young entrepreneur Sofia Reader, who is not supported by any party, and the entrepreneur Sassan Khajehali are also on the ballot paper for the 110,000 eligible voters. The non-party physicist Mathias Schmitz was also admitted.
The CDU does not put up its own candidate and advertises for the incumbent. He has made Heidelberg a better city over the past 16 years, said CDU district leader Alexander Föhr. “The fact that he has no party membership is no reason for us not to support him.”
If neither candidate achieves an absolute majority, a second ballot will be required, which would then be scheduled for Sunday 27 November. Then a simple majority is sufficient. In 2014, voter turnout was 21.8 percent.
