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In the upcoming runoff election for Oberbürgermeister of Düsseldorf, incumbent Thomas Geisel faces a challenging contest against his CDU rival. Despite trailing six years after becoming the mayor, Geisel remains committed to his policies and aims to continue shaping the city's future.
Financial Challenges and Investment Programs
Amid financial losses, Geisel has pledged not to cut investment programs, citing the importance of avoiding strengthening negative trends. The city's finances have been hit hard, particularly in the financial sector, with significant losses anticipated from the trade fair and airport sectors.
A Shift in Mobility
In terms of traffic policy, Geisel advocates for a mobility shift, prioritising public transport and bicycles to improve urban mobility and environmental quality. His CDU rival, on the other hand, prioritises maintaining car-friendly policies and infrastructure, often expressing scepticism towards restricting car usage in Düsseldorf.
Housing Shortages and Affordability
Regarding housing, Geisel advocates for accelerated and increased housing development to address shortages and affordability issues in Düsseldorf. He emphasises social housing and sustainable urban development, while his rival, Mr. Keller, suggests collaboration with neighbouring communities to address the housing crisis.
COVID-19 Pandemic Management
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Geisel took a pragmatic approach to managing the city. He found no legal issues with certain events planned under the Corona Protection Ordinance and focused on balancing public health with economic and cultural activity. However, he acknowledged challenges in securing financial support for affected sectors and recognised political divisions impacting pandemic measures locally.
Election Campaign and Content Control
The election campaign in Düsseldorf has shifted more into the digital and social media, where content control is lacking. This has led to a polarised corona debate, ranging from strict advocates of restrictions to conspiracy theorists, making a factual classification of the topic a challenge.
Care Facilities and Environmental Initiatives
Düsseldorf currently has about 1500 places missing in stationary care, and efforts are being made to meet the growing demand. In addition, the environmental lane is part of an air pollution control plan by the district government, aimed at preventing a diesel driving ban.
Political Collaboration
Despite the election, Geisel remains open to working with all democratic parties as Oberbürgermeister, emphasising the need for unity in addressing the city's challenges. The Sunday duel is described as a "directional choice" between the city policies of Geisel and his challenger.
The election campaign in Düsseldorf promises to be a closely contested race, with Geisel and his rival presenting contrasting views on key issues such as traffic, housing, and pandemic management. Voters will decide on the direction they want Düsseldorf to take in the coming years.
In the realm of policy-and-legislation, Geisel's advocacy for a mobility shift, increased and accelerated housing development, and pragmatic approach towards managing the COVID-19 pandemic differ from his CDU rival's focus on maintaining car-friendly policies, collaboration with neighbouring communities to address housing issues, and her scepticism towards restricting car usage.
Post-election, general-news outlets will scrutinize the political collaboration between Geisel, the winner of the Oberbürgermeister race, and other democratic parties, as their unity is vital for shaping the city's future in areas such as traffic, housing, and pandemic management.
