Greifswald, the historic university town on the Baltic Sea, is politically upside down. Since the municipal elections of 2024, the city council has been in a state that resembles a political experiment – albeit one without a plan, without clear direction, and above all: without a majority. What is currently unfolding here is both a fascinating and unsettling lesson in the breakdown of classical bloc politics.
A City Council Shattered Into Pieces
With 43 seats, Greifswald's city council is large enough for diversity – and apparently small enough for confusion. While the CDU once again emerged as the strongest party with 20.1%, the moment the victory was digested, the faction collapsed. Longtime chairman Axel Hochschild resigned, followed by several other members. What remained was a shrunken CDU rump faction with four seats – powerless, leaderless, torn between past and future.
Instead of clear fronts, the political landscape is now shaped by a wild mosaic of mini-factions, counting groups, and partnerships that are ideologically almost incompatible. Still, somehow, things are being governed.
The New Center – or the New Vacuum?
At the heart of it all: a new faction made up of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) and the Greifswald Citizens' List. Five representatives who explicitly refuse to be pinned down. Left? Right? As long as it’s local. In their own words: they want to work with “both sides.” A political bankruptcy declaration or pragmatic realpolitik?
Opinions differ sharply.
Particularly explosive: the faction does not rule out cooperation with the AfD. On the national level, the BSW clearly distances itself from that party. But Greifswald follows a different logic – one that claims to focus on content rather than origin. Critics call it arbitrariness.
The AfD as a Silent Beneficiary
The AfD holds seven seats – not enough to determine outcomes, but enough to block or push decisions through if others join in. With BSW and the Citizens' List, they could reach twelve votes. No majority, but a tactical pressure point that carries weight in a fragmented council.
There is no formal coalition – but in practice, majorities could form around specific issues, where no one is quite sure anymore what they are actually voting for or against.
The Old Powers: Loss of Influence and Puzzlement
The Greens, with six seats, still hold the mayor's office through Dr. Stefan Fassbinder – an experienced, thoughtful administrator who now finds himself in political no man's land. He can only govern with shifting majorities. His allies? Sometimes the SPD and the Left, sometimes others. Nothing is reliable anymore.
The SPD has formed a joint faction with the Left – out of ideological proximity, but also necessity. Together, they hold eight seats. That’s not enough to shape policy – only to stop it, if barely.
And the FDP? With just one seat, it plays a minor role – but has gained political influence through a counting group with BSW and the Citizens' List. A strategic move that raises eyebrows among liberal voters, especially since the alliance is ideologically hard to justify.
Politics Without Direction – Administration in Holding Pattern
What remains is a political patchwork. A council where shifting coalitions determine the daily agenda, without strategic goals, without recognizable direction. Decisions are renegotiated from one meeting to the next. Responsibilities blur. The council is functional – but barely governable.
Mayor Fassbinder must manage where no one governs. The city is not at a standstill, but it moves in zigzags. The hope lies in issue-based policy – but even that ultimately needs majorities. And that is precisely what’s missing: clear structures.
The Laboratory of Ungovernability
Greifswald is now a microcosm of what threatens many municipalities: the erosion of clear political blocs, the disintegration of traditional parties, and the rise of tactical alliances without substance. Anyone wondering how democracy functions without stable majorities – this is the test setup.
“Power Without a Majority” – this is not a state that can last. It is a political limbo that grinds down responsibility and destroys trust.
If the Greifswald experiment fails, it won’t be because of a lack of votes – but because of a lack of clarity.
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