AfD candidates lose key mayoral runoffs in Lower Saxony

Monday 28 September 2026 - 10:32

By: Azzat Manal

AfD candidates lose key mayoral runoffs in Lower Saxony

Candidates from Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party failed to secure mayoral or district leadership positions in the runoff elections held across Lower Saxony on Sunday, September 27, despite the party entering several contests after making gains in the first round.

A total of 123 runoff elections were held across the northwestern German state after no candidate had obtained more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round on September 13. The contests covered mayoral and district-level positions in municipalities where a second round was required.

One of the most closely watched races took place in Salzgitter, where incumbent mayor Frank Klingebiel of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) faced AfD candidate Patricia Mair. Klingebiel won the runoff with 74.72 percent of the vote, while Mair received 25.28 percent, according to the city's provisional official result. Voter turnout was about 46 percent.

The result followed a first round in which Klingebiel had received 45.6 percent and Mair about 25.7 percent. The AfD nevertheless emerged as the largest party in Salzgitter's newly elected city council, winning 13 of the 46 seats, compared with 12 for the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and 11 for the CDU.

In other runoff contests, AfD candidates also failed to secure the top municipal positions they had contested. The results formed part of a wider set of local elections in Lower Saxony in which incumbent officeholders retained several major posts, according to regional broadcaster NDR.

In Hannover, incumbent mayor Belit Onay of the Greens won the runoff against SPD candidate Axel von der Ohe. At district level, SPD candidate Eva Bender also won in the Hannover region, defeating CDU candidate Oliver Junk.

The Lower Saxony elections have attracted attention because they provide a picture of how national political trends translate into local contests. Municipal elections often focus heavily on individual candidates and local issues, while party strength can vary considerably between city councils, mayoral races and district elections.

For the AfD, the results showed a mixed picture. While its candidates did not take the mayoral positions highlighted in the runoff contests, the party made significant gains in some municipal councils, including Salzgitter, where it became the largest parliamentary group.

The final results from the September 27 runoffs will be formally confirmed by the relevant local election authorities. The elections are part of Lower Saxony's 2026 municipal electoral cycle, which has renewed attention on the balance between established parties, independent candidates and the AfD at the local level.