The mayor of Bamberg, Andreas Starke (SPD), will not run for office again in 2026. The mayor has informed his party of this, explained the SPD leader in the city council, Heinz Kuntke. In 2026, Starke will have been in office for 20 years. It is “time for a generational change,” says the mayor.
It was expected that the 67-year-old Social Democrat would not stand for re-election in the next election. However, party friends did not want to rule out another candidacy. Starke is at an age where such a step hardly needs to be explicitly explained, said Kuntke. Who will run for office for the SPD in Bamberg in 2026 must now be discussed.
In a statement, the SPD Bamberg said that they were reacting to the step “with respect and great gratitude.” The city has recently developed strongly. Numerous citizens have tried to persuade Starke to run again. In this respect, it is right to provide clarity in good time. One can rely on the mayor to continue to work for the city. Starke confirms this. “I will continue to give it my all,” he says.
Starke is considered popular in the cathedral city. His reputation has suffered from two penal orders – one for breach of official secrecy, one for breach of trust. However, these were fewer than many had expected. “I have always acted to the best of my knowledge and belief,” Starke said on Thursday.