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NRW – Historic change of power in two Rhineland metropolises: Bonn and Aachen will be ruled in the future by green mayors.
In Bonn, Bundestag member Katja Dörner (44) won a surprising 56.3 percent against former incumbent Ashok-Alexander Sridharan (55, CDU), who came out with 43.7 percent.
In Aachen, the hometown of NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet (59, CDU), Greens candidate Sibylle Keupen left her CDU rival Harald Baal far behind with 67.4 percent of the votes.
In Bonn, Sridharan had entered the race as the favorite, in the local elections two weeks ago he was still ahead. But after the failure of the SPD candidate Lissi von Bülow in the first ballot, it is likely that many of the SPD voters gave their vote to Dörner. Almost half of Bonn residents, 48.7 percent, participated in the second round.
Incumbent Ashok-Alexander Sridharan (55, CDU, right) congratulated Katja Dörner (Greens, 44)
Photo: Roberto Pfeil / dpa
Katja Dörner has been a member of the Bundestag for the Greens since 2009, is the deputy leader of the parliamentary group and a member of the family committee.
In Bonn city hall, after major advances in local elections two weeks ago, the Greens are the strongest force (27.9 percent) ahead of the CDU (25.7 percent).
The Greens also make up the largest parliamentary group in the Aachen Council at 36.7 percent, before there was a black-red coalition. Now the Green candidate has reached the top of the city in the cathedral city. Sibylle Keupen is not a member of the party.
Henriette Reker (63, independent) remains the first woman to lead a German metropolis. And she too, who has the support of the Greens, was confirmed in office in the second round on Sunday.
In Wuppertal, Emsdetten, Havixbeck and Monschau, the party’s candidates were also victorious.
Henriette Reker (63, independent) received almost 60 percent of the vote
Photo: Henning Kaiser / dpa
Green leader Annalena Baerbock evaluated this as a test of the ability to rule. “The result of today’s runoff elections in North Rhine-Westphalia is historic,” he told the “Rheinische Post”.
For the first time, the Greens would provide mayors in North Rhine-Westphalia. “And it shows that we can take responsibility for the entire city and the country from our leadership position.” There is a desire for change. “And this is reflected in the breadth of issues, from climate protection and traffic change to affordable housing, cohesion in a cosmopolitan society, and more citizen participation,” Baerbock said. That is “a good launch pad for 2021.”
