CSU candidate for local elections - Oktoberfest boss wants to become mayor of Munich
After approximately five years as Wiesnchef and Economic Advisor in Munich, Clemens Baumgaertner (CSU) aims to become Mayor of the City. The district board of the CSU unanimously nominated him as the leading candidate for the municipal election in 2026, according to the district chairman Georg Eisenreich (CSU), who is also the Bavarian Justice Minister. Baumgaertner will continue as Economic Advisor until the end of February and, given his years of experience, feels well-equipped for the top position. However, he will likely have to run against the incumbent Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD), who has repeatedly expressed his intention to serve a third term.
The red-green city government under Reiter accused Baumgaertner of not shaping things enough and not taking action. "We want to become the strongest force in the town hall to be able to co-govern again," Baumgaertner stated as his goal for his campaign, which he now has until the election day on March 8, 2026, to prepare. Themes for his campaign are expected to include transportation policy and the further development of public transportation, the situation of the municipal clinics, and kindergarten fees.
The office of the Munich Mayor has been in the hands of the SPD for decades. The last CSU politician to hold the position was Erich Kiesl (CSU) from 1978 to 1984. After him, the SPD politicians Georg Kronawitter, Christian Ude, and finally Dieter Reiter (all SPD) followed.
Baumgaertner's tenure as Economic Advisor ends in February 2025. The successor will be determined by the city council in October. According to the SPD's wishes, who have the right to propose a candidate for the position, Ingolstadt Mayor Christian Scharpf (SPD) is expected to become the new Economic Advisor and thus the head of the Oktoberfest.
If this were to happen, Ingolstadt would need a new mayor prematurely. However, Scharpf would not have run in the municipal elections in 2026 anyway. The 52-year-old lawyer explained his decision with personal reasons, as his wife and four children live in Munich.
- Despite being the SPD's stronghold, Munich's Mayor position has seen CSU representatives in the past, with Erich Kiesl serving from 1978 to 1984.
- Baumgaertner, as the CSU's chosen candidate for the 2026 local elections, will face a challenge from the incumbent Mayor Dieter Reiter, who is from the SPD and has expressed interest in another term.
- The CSU's district chairman, Georg Eisenreich, has nominated Baumgaertner for the Munich Mayorship, following his role as Wiesnchef and Economic Advisor in Munich.
- Until his Economic Advisor role ends in February 2025, Baumgaertner will aim to prepare for the elections, with themes like transportation policy, municipal clinics, and kindergarten fees shaping his campaign.
- Potentially, if Ingolstadt Mayor Christian Scharpf (SPD) becomes Munich's new Economic Advisor, a new mayoral election would be needed in Ingolstadt due to Scharpf's premature departure, but he had already decided against running in Munich's 2026 local elections for personal reasons.
