Leading associations in favor of longer terms of office for mayors

Municipalities - Leading associations in favor of longer terms of office for mayors

The leading municipal associations in Lower Saxony are pressing for an extension of the terms of office of mayors and district councillors. In a joint appeal on Wednesday, the presidents of the Association of Counties, the Association of Cities and Towns and the Association of Towns and Municipalities called on the red-green state government to introduce a reform. In view of the upcoming local elections in 2026, a decision should be made "as soon as possible", according to the working group of municipal umbrella organizations. A longer term of office should make the jobs of municipal leaders more attractive.

"The multiple crises that we have to deal with locally and the complexity of municipal policy projects show that a longer term of office is objectively necessary in every respect. We would therefore welcome a swift and binding signal from the governing parties," wrote the presidents of the Association of Counties, Sven Ambrosy, the Association of Cities, Frank Klingebiel, and the Association of Towns and Municipalities, Marco Trips. The mayors and district councils in office need planning security, they said.

The leading municipal associations are in favor of extending the term of office from the current five to eight years, but at least seven and a half years. "Anything less than seven and a half years would be a bitter disappointment from our point of view," emphasized a spokesperson for the Association of Towns and Municipalities.

In their coalition agreement, theSPD and the Greens have stated that they want to discuss more attractive conditions for mayors and district councillors, so-called chief administrative officers. In a media report in the summer, Minister President Stephan Weil held out the prospect of extending the term of office. The SPD politician said in July that a corresponding model would be presented this year.

At the beginning of Weil's first red-green coalition ten years ago, the SPD and Greens had shortened the terms of office of local council leaders from eight to five years.

Press release

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1. The Association of Counties, the Association of Cities and Towns, and the Association of Towns and Municipalities, all based in Lower Saxony, advocated for the extension of mayors and district councillors' terms of office in a joint appeal to the red-green state government.
2. The Association of Towns and Municipalities has expressed its disappointment if the term of office is not extended to at least seven and a half years.
3. In their coalition agreement, the SPD and the Greens stated their intent to discuss more attractive conditions for mayors and district councillors, often referred to as chief administrative officers.
4. The SPD politician, Minister President Stephan Weil, previously mentioned the possibility of extending the term of office for local council leaders, suggesting a new model would be presented this year.
5. The term of office for local council leaders was shortened from eight to five years by the SPD and Greens at the start of their first red-green coalition ten years ago.

Source: www.stern.de