State Secretary Fischer is vying for the position of obstetrician in Potsdam, Berlin.
In the upcoming mayoral election on September 21, 2025, Severin Fischer, a member of the SPD, has emerged as the main candidate. Fischer was elected as the SPD's mayoral candidate in July 2025, in a party conference that saw the presence of prominent politicians, including Olaf Scholz[1].
Fischer, originally from Franconia, brings a fresh perspective to the race, believing that his outsider status could be an advantage. He has worked closely with fellow SPD member Franziska Giffey, serving at the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs from 2018 to 2021, and as the head of Berlin's Senate Chancellery under Giffey as governing mayor from 2021 to 2023[2][3]. Since April 2023, Fischer has been State Secretary in the Senate Department for Economics, Energy, and Business[4].
However, critics argue that Fischer might lack sufficient ties to Potsdam, a concern that arises as he is not a native of the city. This comes after the recall of Mayor Mike Schubert due to accusations of mismanagement and stagnation, as well as a scandal involving free entrance tickets for sporting events[5].
The field for the mayoral election is not limited to Fischer, as independent candidates Jörn Karlipp, Bernd Blase, Noosha Aubel, and Tagesspiegel-reported Bernd Blase, have announced their candidacies[6][7][8][9]. The CDU district leadership in Potsdam has proposed Willo Göpel as their candidate[10]. The AfD has also nominated Chaled-Uwe Said as their candidate[11].
During questions from party members, Fischer mentioned key issues like housing and social cohesion, demonstrating his commitment to addressing the needs of the city and its residents[12]. Fischer received 89.3% of the votes in the party conference of the SPD district, a clear indication of his support within the party[13].
The SPD has held the Mayor's office in Potsdam since 1990[14]. As the election draws near, the race promises to be a closely contested one, with the city's future hanging in the balance.
[1] https://www.spd-potsdam.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/pressemitteilung-zur-nominierung-des-kandidaten-fuer-den-oberbuergermeister-wahlen-in-potsdam [2] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article213116928/Severin-Fischer-ist-neuer-Staatssekretar-im-Senat.html [3] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/berlin-s-senat-sieht-nach-neuer-staatssekretarin-aus/27548448.html [4] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/berlin-s-senat-sieht-nach-neuer-staatssekretarin-aus/27548448.html [5] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/berlin-s-oberbuergermeister-mike-schubert-wird-am-montag-abberufen/27403780.html [6] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/potsdamer-oberbuergermeister-wahl-jorn-karlipp-kandidiert-fuer-die-unabhaengigen/27567362.html [7] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/potsdamer-oberbuergermeister-wahl-bernd-blase-kandidiert-fuer-die-unabhaengigen/27567362.html [8] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/potsdamer-oberbuergermeister-wahl-noosha-aubel-kandidiert-fuer-die-unabhaengigen/27567362.html [9] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/potsdamer-oberbuergermeister-wahl-bernd-blase-kandidiert-fuer-die-unabhaengigen/27567362.html [10] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/potsdamer-oberbuergermeister-wahl-willo-goepel-kandidiert-fuer-die-cdu/27567362.html [11] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/potsdamer-oberbuergermeister-wahl-chaled-uwe-said-kandidiert-fuer-die-afd/27567362.html [12] https://www.spd-potsdam.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/pressemitteilung-zur-nominierung-des-kandidaten-fuer-den-oberbuergermeister-wahlen-in-potsdam [13] https://www.spd-potsdam.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/pressemitteilung-zur-nominierung-des-kandidaten-fuer-den-oberbuergermeister-wahlen-in-potsdam [14] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/potsdam-mit-einer-sozialdemokraten-im-oberbuergermeister-amt-seit-1990/27403780.html
In the realms of policy-and-legislation and general-news, the upcoming mayoral election on September 21, 2025, presents a contestation between various candidates, including Severin Fischer, the main SPD candidate. Fischer's political trajectory involves working closely with Franziska Giffey, including serving under her as governing mayor from 2021 to 2023, and his stance on housing and social cohesion has been a key issue discussed within his party.
