Independent Candidate Alexander Kretzschmar Elected Mayor of Zehdenick

Kretzschmar defeated AfD candidate René Stadtkewitz with 63% of the vote in a closely watched runoff election.

Alexander Kretzschmar, an independent candidate and Berlin police officer, won the mayoral runoff election in Zehdenick with 63% of the vote, defeating AfD candidate René Stadtkewitz, who garnered 37%.
The election saw a drop in voter turnout, with 53.7% participating in the runoff compared to 72.6% in the first round held three weeks earlier.
Kretzschmar emphasized plans to strengthen citizen-focused governance and improve services for children and youth in the 14,000-resident town located in Brandenburg.
René Stadtkewitz, a former CDU member and founder of the party Die Freiheit, joined the AfD in 2024 and would have been the only full-time AfD mayor in Brandenburg if elected.
The election followed the resignation of former mayor Lucas Halle (SPD) in 2024, who stepped down due to health concerns after being elected as Germany's youngest full-time mayor in 2022.