Belit Onay defends mayoralty in Hanover with 61.5 percent

Belit Onay was able to defend his office in the mayoral election in Hanover. The Green politician received 61.5 percent of the votes cast in the runoff election. His challenger Axel von der Ohe (SPD) has 38.5 percent.

Onay has ruled Hanover since 2019. Previously, the Lower Saxony state capital was in SPD hands for a long time. In the first round of voting two weeks ago, Onay had almost won an absolute majority with 45.6 percent. Von der Ohe received 21.5 percent in the first round of voting.

The head of the Hanover region was also re-elected in a runoff election: Eva Bender (SPD) will be the first woman to hold the office of regional president. With 69.4 percent, she was able to clearly prevail against challenger Oliver Junk (CDU), who received 30.6 percent of the votes. In Göttingen, the citizens decided between Onyeka Oshionwu (Greens) and Ehsan Kangarani (CDU). In the interim results, Oshionwu is clearly ahead with 62.7 percent.

For the first time, the AfD could have won a top municipal office in Lower Saxony. In Salzgitter, Munster and Bockenem near Hildesheim, AfD candidates moved into the runoff election. According to the preliminary results, they were unable to prevail anywhere against their challengers.

Across Lower Saxony, millions of people were called to vote again on Sunday - in places where no one was able to secure an absolute majority in the mayoral and district council elections two weeks ago. The two best placed in the first round were up for election.