Greens retain Hannover mayoral office as AfD loses run-offs in Lower Saxony

Green victory in Hannover

Voters across 123 municipalities in Lower Saxony went to the polls on 27 September 2026 for local run-off elections to choose mayors and district administrators for eight-year terms. In the state capital Hannover, incumbent mayor Belit Onay of the Green Party secured re-election with 61.5% of the vote. Onay defeated SPD challenger and city treasurer Axel von der Ohe, who finished with 38.5%. The result followed a first-round vote two weeks earlier in which Onay led with 45.6% against von der Ohe's 21.5%. Following his victory, Onay reflected on the campaign during remarks to the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung.

“We went into the campaign for the run-off with a good feeling, but it is also clear: we all start again from zero in a run-off.”

Conceding the race, von der Ohe urged his party to cooperate with the Greens in governing the city council, where the Greens recently became the largest fraction.

“I recommend to my party, the SPD, that it also inwardly accepts this result and participates from tomorrow in the constructive shaping of this city.”

Belit Onay (Greens)61.5%

Axel von der Ohe (SPD)38.5%

Belit Onay (Greens)

61.5 %

Axel von der Ohe (SPD)

38.5 %

Data from the article text

AfD defeated in three run-off contests

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) fielded candidates in three run-off races but failed to secure any municipal executive posts in the state. In Salzgitter, long-serving CDU incumbent Frank Klingebiel, in office since 2006, won re-election with 74.7% against AfD candidate Patricia Mair, who took 25.3%. In the small town of Munster in Heidekreis, independent candidate Anna Adamczak defeated AfD competitor Christoph Weynand with 80.48% of the vote compared to Weynand's 19.52%. In Bockenem within the Hildesheim district, independent contender Jens Lüer won the mayoral seat with 69.6% against AfD candidate Felix Mull. The state branch of the AfD remains classified by domestic intelligence authorities as a confirmed right-wing extremist organisation, and the party continues to hold no municipal leadership positions across Lower Saxony.

Frank Klingebiel (Salzgitter)74.7%

Patricia Mair (AfD Salzgitter)25.3%

Anna Adamczak (Munster)80.48%

Christoph Weynand (AfD Munster)19.52%

Frank Klingebiel (Salzgitter)

74.7 %

Patricia Mair (AfD Salzgitter)

25.3 %

Anna Adamczak (Munster)

80.48 %

Christoph Weynand (AfD Munster)

19.52 %

Data from the article text

Incumbents and newcomers across major cities

Run-offs in other urban centres saw a mix of incumbent holds and political turnovers. In Braunschweig, SPD incumbent Thorsten Kornblum retained the mayoral office by taking 75.6% of ballots against CDU challenger Maximilian Pohler, who received 24.4% on a 39.3% turnout. In Oldenburg, non-partisan candidate Jascha Rohr, backed jointly by the Greens and CDU, took city hall with 51.6% against SPD state lawmaker Ulf Prange, succeeding retiring SPD mayor Jürgen Krogmann. In Göttingen, Green candidate Onyeka Oshionwu secured the mayoralty with nearly 63% against CDU opponent Ehsan Kangarani in a city previously led by the SPD for decades. In Delmenhorst, CDU mayor Petra Gerlach lost her seat after SPD challenger Alexander Mittag won with 52.2% on a 30.8% turnout.

District administrator and local council outcomes

Elections for district administrators and smaller municipalities also produced decisive results alongside narrow margins. In the Hannover Region, SPD candidate Eva Bender secured the presidency with 69.4% against former Goslar mayor Oliver Junk of the CDU, who received 30.6%. In Landkreis Osterholz, Kim Fürwentsches became the district's first Green administrator by winning 58% against SPD candidate Michael Harjes's 42%. In Lüchow-Dannenberg, independent incumbent Dagmar Schulz won re-election with nearly 74% against CDU rival Christian Carmienke. In Wennigsen am Deister, SPD candidate Ingo Klokemann won by a margin of eight votes (50.06%), while CDU candidate Matthias Nicht won Lamspringe with 50.3% against SPD rival Martin Hauk on a 61.5% turnout.