Rocking the Bavarian Capital: Baumgaertner Steps Up as CSU's Mayoral Candidate for Munich
Oktoberfest's Ex-Leader Becomes Election Contender for CSU Mayor Position - Elected as CSU Candidate: Ex-Munich Oktoberfest Director, Baumgärtner, Joins Ranks
Get ready, Munich! It's about to get heated in the political scene as Clemens Baumgaertner, the ex-economic affairs chief and ex-Wiesnchef, throws his hat in the ring for the mayoral office next year, backed by the CSU.
At a packed nominating convention, Baumgaertner, a 48-year-old lawyer, snagged 98% of the votes from the CSU, with a whopping 134 out of 137 delegates rallying behind him. "This is a fucking fantastic result," Baumgaertner remarked, clearly pumped up for the race ahead.
With his eyes set on dethroning the current mayor, Dieter Reiter (SPD), who has expressed his interest in a third term, Baumgaertner has a tall order ahead. Being the CSU's top candidate for the local election on March 8, 2026, he aims to make the CSU the dominating force at city hall and to lead Munich towards a bright future with unbridled humility.
Security, economy, traffic, housing, and social affairs top Baumgaertner's priority list, emphasizing the need for direct engagement with the people. He's already hitting the streets, embarking on a listening tour of the city, starting with Sendling and moving on to over two dozen other districts. Baumgaertner is making it clear that he's not interested in politics behind closed doors; instead, he vows to make decisions based on what the people want.
However, the mayoral seat has been a SPD stronghold for ages. The last CSU politician to hold the position was Erich Kiesl from 1978 to 1984, while SPD politicians Georg Kronawitter, Christian Ude, and Dieter Reiter have reigned supreme since.
Baumgaertner parted ways with his roles as economic affairs chief and Oktoberfest director in February. Christian Scharpf (SPD), the former Ingolstadt mayor, took over those positions in his absence.
Stay tuned as we follow Baumgaertner's journey in this high-stakes game of politics, as he aims to topple the long-reigning SPD and steer Munich in a new direction!
CSU | SPD | Munich Mayor | Politics | 2026 Mayoral Election
The CSU debuts a fresh policy as Clemens Baumgaertner, their candidate for the 2026 Mayoral Election in Munich, focuses on vocational training in his agenda to engage the community and reshape the city's political landscape amidst policy-and-legislation discussions in general-news.
Baumgaertner's emphasis on vocational training echoes throughout his strategy, with the repeated mention of the issue in his speech, underscoring his commitment to this area in the upcoming mayoral race.
