GERMAN WOMEN MAYORS

Germany’s female mayors

September 2024: There is no denying it, Germany’s cities are still overwhelmingly ruled by men. After the rather short tenure of Franziska Giffey in Berlin, there is only one female mayor among the country’s top ten cities. Of the 80 Grossstädte – towns with more than 100,000 residents - only ten have women mayors. The best-known one, and one of Germany’s longest-serving mayors, is Cologne’s Henriette Reker. Elected in 2015, after she survived an assassination attempt, Henriette Reker has become a role model for women in local government (Kommunalverwaltung).

 

Germany’s largest cities with female mayors

• Rank 4: Cologne (1,074,000) Mayor Henriette Reker

• Rank 19: Bonn (332,000) Mayor Katja Dörner

• Rank 23: Augsburg (297,000) Mayor Eva Weber

• Rank 26: Gelsenkirchen (261,000) Mayor Karin Welge

• Rank 27: Aachen (250,000) Mayor Sibylle Keupen

• Rank 32: Magdeburg (237,000) Mayor Simone Borris

• Rank 39: Rostock (209,000) Mayor Eva-Maria Kröger

• Rank 45: Ludwigshafen (173,000) Mayor Jutta Steinruck

• Rank 48: Osnabrück (166,000) Mayor Katharina Pötter

• Rank 54: Regensburg (154,000) Mayor Gertrud Malts-Schwarzfischer

 

Women in German local government

In 2022, research by the Berlin-based Heinrich Böll Foundation found that the number of women elected to German town and city councils (Stadträte) is increasing, albeit at a very slow rate. In 2011, women made up some 33 per cent of council members, a figure that stood at slightly above 37 per cent in 2022. Only in Kassel (Hesse), women formed a majority in the city parliament. Other cities with more than 45 per cent female councillors include Offenbach, Frankfurt, Mainz, Nürnberg, Darmstadt and Würzburg. Communities in the Ruhr region perform below par. In cities like Gelsenkirchen, Solingen and Salzgitter women make up less than 30 per cent of local councillors.

 

Profile of women mayors

Germany’s most recent research into women in local government was conducted by German Brief. The survey’s authors looked at communities which are led by Lord Mayors (Oberbürgermeister). In large cities and unitary towns (kreisfreie Städte) the heads of local government carry the title Oberbürgermeister rather than Bürgermeister (mayor). The research involved some 331 cities.

 

German Brief found that among the 332 towns and cities surveyed only 33 (9.9%) had women as mayors. As said above, the group’s best-known member is Cologne’s mayor Henriette Reker. In office since 2015, she survived an assassination attempt during her first mayoral campaign. Before her election, she was deputy mayor of Gelsenkirchen and later, from 2010 to 2015, deputy mayor of Cologne. In 2020, she was elected for a second term.

 

Germany’s longest-serving female mayor is Cornelia Petzold-Schick, the mayor of Bruchsal (Baden-Württemberg). In 2009, it took her two rounds of voting to be chosen, whereas eight years later, she won re-election in the first round with more than three-quarters of the vote (78%). (In Baden-Württemberg, mayors serve eight-year terms).

 

While the number of female mayors in Germany is deplorably low, there are some hopeful signs. Since 2020, some 25 women were for the first time elected to the office of Oberbürgermeister. Among them, Eva Weber in Augsburg; Gertrud Malts-Schwarzfischer in Regensburg; Eva-Maria Kröger in Rostock; Katharina Pötter in Osnabrück; Sibylle Keupen in Aachen, Katja Dörner in Bonn and, in October 2023, Monika Müller in Rastatt (Baden-Württemberg). In 2024, in Weil-am-Rhein, on the Swiss border, Diana Stöcker became mayor, while in Norderstedt, Schleswig-Holstein, Karin Schmieder replaced the incumbent female mayor Elke Christina Roeder. Katja Wolf, the Mayor of Eisenach (Thuringia) resigned to run for a seat in the state parliament on behalf of the newly formed Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht party (BSW).

 

Most women mayors have academic qualifications, mostly in law. While there are eleven mayors with legal degrees, the German Brief could only identify three women who did not go to university but instead completed an apprenticeship after finishing high school.

 

Among the group of 33 female mayors, there were eight who ran as independents. Politically, independents tend to be centrists, often supporting environmental policies. Eight mayors belong to the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). The centre-right sister parties CDU and CSU can count on six mayors. The Green party is represented by three mayors, while two female mayors belong to the left-wing party Die Linke (the Left).

 

German political parties

• Social Democrats, SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands); centre-left

• Christian Democrats, CDU (Christlich Demokratische Union); centre-right

• Christian Social Union, CSU (Christlich Soziale Union); centre-right, sister party of the CDU, active only in Bavaria

• The Greens (Die Grünen); centre-left, environmental

• The Left (Die Linke); left-wing

• Alternative for Germany. AfD (Alternative für Deutschland); right-wing

• Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW); populist, Russia-supporting

• Free Voters (Freie Wähler); local or regional political associations, supporting mostly centre-right and conservative policies.

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Germany’s women mayors

​​BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG

Bruchsal

Population: 47,000

Mayor: Cornelia Petzold-Schick

In office since 2009

Party / Politics: Independent (centre)

Notes: Born Mai 1964. Studied law. Worked for the state crime office and as a local government civil servant. Entered politics in 2005

 

Fellbach

Population: 46,000

Mayor: Gabriele Zull

In office since 2016

Party / Politics: Independent

Notes: Born February 1967. Studied law. Worked as a civil servant in local government. Entered politics in 2011.

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Metzingen

Population: 23,000

Mayor: Carmen Haberstroh

In office since Since 2021

Party / Politics: Free Voters, Freie Wähler, FW, (centre-right, conservative)

Notes: Born December 1971. Studied public administration. Worked as a civil servant in local and district government. Entered politics in 2016.

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Schramberg

Population: 21,000

Mayor: Dorothee Eisenlohr

In office since 2019

Party / Politics: Independent (conservative)

Notes: Born March 1982. Studied languages and cultural science. Worked as freelance journalist and editor. Managerial roles in regional government and economic development. Developed an interest in politics as a teenager.

 

Stutensee

Population: 25,000

Mayor: Petra Becker

In office since 2018

Party / Politics: Independent (centre)

Notes: Born 1961. Studied law. Worked as a lawyer in local government. Entered politics in 2018.

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Weil am Rhein

Population 31,000

Mayor Diana Stöcker

In office since 2024

Party / Politics: CDU (centre-right)

Notes: Born May 1970. Studied politics and journalism at Saarbrücken University. Local councillor in Rheinfelden from 2015 to 2021. Member of the German Parliament (Bundestag) from 2021 to 2024. Mayor since 2024.

Entered politics: 2015

 

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BAYERN (Bavaria)

Augsburg

Population: 297,000

Mayor: Eva Weber

In office since May 2020

Party / Politics: CSU (conservative)

Notes: Born May 1977. Studied law. Worked for the Chamber of Commerce. Entered politics in 2014

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Hof

Population 47,000

Mayor: Eva Döhla

In office since 2020

Party / Politics: SPD (centre-left)

Notes: Born 1972. Studied politics and history at the University of Würzburg. Worked as a journalist. Entered politics in 2012. Local councillor from 2014 to 2020. Elected mayor in 2020.

 

Landsberg am Lech

Population: 30,000

Mayor: Doris Baumgartl

In office since May 2020

Party / Politics: Independent (centre)

Notes: Born 1962. Studied public administration. Worked in local government and public relations for municipal clinics in Munich. Entered politics in 2014

 

Lindau

Population: 26,000

Mayor: Claudia Alfons

In office since May 2020

Party / Politics: Independent (liberal centre)

Notes: Born 1983. Studied law. Worked for several international law firms. Appointed public prosecutor and judge. Entered politics in 2020

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Neu-Ulm

Population: 60,000

Mayor: Katrin Albsteiger

In office since May 2020

Party / Politics: CSU (conservative)

Notes: Born November 1983. Studied political science. Worked in corporate communication for a utility company. Entered politics in 2013

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Regensburg

Population: 154,000

Mayor: Gertrud Malts-Schwarzfischer

In office since May 2020

Party / Politics: SPD (centre-left)

Notes: Born August 1960. Studied archaeology. Worked for museums and as an independent archaeologist. Entered politics in 1995.

 

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MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN

Rostock

Population: 209,000

Mayor: Eva-Maria Kröger

In office since 2022

Party / Politics: Die Linke (left-wing)

Notes: Born June 1982. Studied political sciences. Worked as a freelance journalist and later as parliamentary adviser for several members of the German parliament (Bundestag)

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NIEDERSACHSEN (Lower Saxony)

Delmenhorst

Population: 78,000

Mayor: Petra Gerlach

In office since 2021

Party / Politics: CDU (centre-right)

Notes: Born 1972. Studied public administration. Spent most of her professional life in local government. Entered politics in 2021.

 

Goslar

Population: 50,000

Mayor: Urte Schwerdtner

In office since 2021

Party / Politics: SPD (centre-left)

Notes: Born September 1963. Studied law. Appointed public prosecutor and later judge. Entered politics in 2011.

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Göttingen

Population: 120,000

Mayor: Petra Broistedt

In office since 2021

Party /politics: SPD (centre-left)

Notes: Born 1964. Studied architecture at the University of Braunschweig followed by studies of social pedagogy. She began her career in local government for the District of Holzminden as an officer for women’s affairs.  From 2008, deputy head of the youth department for the City of Göttingen. In 2016 she became head of the city’s culture and social affairs department. Entered politics in 2002 as a local councillor for the District of Hameln-Pyrmont.

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Lüneburg

Population: 76,000

Mayor: Claudia Kalisch

In office since 2021

Party / Politics: Die Grünen (Greens)

Notes: Born April 1972. Studied environmental sciences and sustainability management. University post in sustainability management and work later for a sustainable energy distributor. Entered politics in 2010.

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Osnabrück

Population: 166,000

Mayor: Katharina Pötter

In office since 2021

Party / Politics: CDU (centre-right)

Notes: Born July 1979. Studied law. Worked briefly as a lawyer, followed by a 12-year career in a government educational authority. Entered politics in 2001.

 

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NORDRHEIN-WESTFALEN (North Rhine-Westphalia)

Aachen

Population: 250,000

Mayor: Sibylle Keupen

In office since 2020

Party / Politics: Independent (pro-environment)

Notes: Born 1963. Studied Pedagogy and Social sciences. Founder of a youth art school and managed an educational and cultural institution. Entered politics in 2020.

 

Bonn

Population: 332,000

Mayor: Katja Dörner

In office since 2020

Party / Politics: Die Grünen (Greens)

Notes: Born in February 1976; Studied political sciences, civic law and linguistics. Worked for a political think tank and was later appointed to the board of a children’s charity.

 

Gelsenkirchen

Population: 261,000

Mayor: Karin Welge

In office since 2020

Party / Politics:SPD (centre-left)

Notes: October 1962; Studied law and European integration. Taught civic administration law as well as environmental law and public finance. Entered politics in 2019.

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Köln (Cologne)

Population: 1,074,000

Mayor: Henriette Reker

In office since 2015

Party / Politics: Independent (politically centre)

Notes: Born November 1956; Studied law; Worked as a legal executive for a health insurer. Later worked for local government in Gelsenkirchen and Cologne. Survived an assassination attempt shortly before the 2015 election.

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RHEINLAND-PFALZ (Rhineland-Palatinate)

Kaiserslautern

Population: 102,000

Mayor: Beate Kimmel

In office since 2023

Party: SPD (centre-left)

Notes: Born in 1968. Studied public administration to degree level. Started working for Kaiserslautern City Council in 1991. From 2007 to 2010, she worked for the then-Mayor Klaus Weichel. From 2018 to 2023, one of the city’s deputy mayors. She entered politics in 1999.

 

Ludwigshafen

Population: 173,000

Mayor: Jutta Steinruck

In office since 2018

Party / Politics: Independent

Notes: Born September 1962. Studied business to degree level. Worked in human resources for a listed company. From 2009 to 2018 member of the European Parliament. Entered politics in 1996.

 

Speyer

Population: 51,000

Mayor: Stefanie Seiler

In office since 2019

Party / Politics: SPD (centre-left)

Notes: Born August 1983. Studied sociology. Was appointed to several positions within the local and regional SPD party. Entered politics in 2002.

 

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SAARLAND

Völklingen

Population: 40,000

Mayor: Christiane Blatt

In office since 2017

Party / Politics: SPD (centre-left)

Notes: Born January 1966. Apprenticeship in commerce. Certified foreign language secretary. Entered politics in 2002.

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SACHSEN (Saxony)

Dippoldiswalde

Population: 14,100

Mayor: Kerstin Körner

In office since 2019

Party / Politics: CDU (centre-right)

Notes: Born in 1971. Studied civic administration.

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Klingenthal

Population: 8,000

Mayor: Judith Sandner

In office since 2022

Party / Politics: Free Voters (Freie Wähler, FWG, centre-right, conservative)

Notes: Born in 1973. In November 2022, she won the uncontested mayoral election with 92% of the vote.

 

Niesky

Population: 9,200

Mayor: Kathrin Ulemann

In office since 2022

Party / Politics: Independent (centre-right)

Notes: Born 1977. Studied biochemistry. Worked for a German overseas aid organisation in Kyrgistan and Tajikistan.

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Zwickau

Population: 87,000

Mayor: Constance Arndt

In office since 2020

Party / Politics: Citizens for Zwickau (centre)

Notes: Born July 1977. Apprenticeship in retail management. Worked for several food and fashion retailers. From 2014 to 2020 member of the city council. Entered politics in 2013.

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SACHSEN-ANHALT (Saxony-Anhalt)

Bernburg

Population: 32,000

Mayor: Silvia Ristow

In office since 2022

Party / Politics: Die Linke (left-wing)

Notes: Born 1963. Studied agricultural management and finance. Entered politics in former East Germany. Became a member of the SED (Socialist Unity Party of Germany). Since 2007 the district council.

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Magdeburg

Population: 237,000

Mayor: Simone Borris

In office since 2022

Party / Politics: Independent (centrist-green)

Notes: Born December 1962. Apprenticeship in banking followed by studies in economics. Started work for the City of Magdeburg in 1990.

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SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN

Norderstedt

Population: 81,000

Mayor: Karin Schmieder

In office since 2024

Party / Politics: Die Grünen (The Greens)

Notes: Born November 1966. Studied banking law. Worked as merger and acquisition (M&A) manager in London. Mayor of Bad Pyrmont from 2006 to 2014. Entered politics in 2006.

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* Methodology
The original research was carried out by German Brief during the second half of 2023. The text and data were updated in January 2024 and again in August 2024. Sources include Wikipedia, newspaper articles, information provided by cities and political parties as well as personal contributions by individual mayors.

 

© Copyright: All content is protected by worldwide copyright. Please contact the editor if you wish to use any material from the German Brief website.

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ON OTHER PAGES: There was no Angela-Merkel effect | Women board members | Women Mayors | Petra Roth, Germany's most revered woman mayor at 80 |

 

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