2027 mayoral election in Leipzig: Fabian Schmidt aims to become mayor for the Humanists + Video

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In early 2027, Leipzig will elect a new Lord Mayor – this time a genuinely new candidate, as the incumbent is no longer eligible to stand. The field of candidates is slowly taking shape, though with just one female candidate out of nine, the proportion of women is, unfortunately, very low. The Humanist Party (PdH) has now also nominated its candidate, Fabian Schmidt.

The PdH’s nomination meeting took place a month ago, but due to scheduling conflicts, we only met for an interview on 27 July.

Mr Schmidt, what do the Humanists stand for?

What do we stand for? We base our politics primarily on three things: humanity, facts and freedom. These are the three core values we stand for. And we approach everything with reason and on the basis of facts. I believe that is the key issue.

I assume, of course, that you personally support these issues as well.

I do have a personal commitment to these issues, although I’ll also be bringing my own personal priorities to the election campaign.

A brief introduction. Who are you, and what do you do?

Well, I’m Fabian Schmidt, and I’m 37 years young. I came to Leipzig in 2007 to study social sciences and philosophy. I then spent a long time in the catering industry – working directly with the public, serving them food, so to speak. After the pandemic, I switched to the IT sector, where I’m still working today. I’m an IT specialist consultant and work for a company advising clients on licence optimisation and digitalisation. In my private life, I’m a family man; I’ve been married for seven years and have two children – one at primary school and one at secondary school. That means I’m also quite familiar with Leipzig’s educational landscape. And in my spare time, I like to go out with friends, go on holiday, or attend the odd medieval festival now and then.

But you don’t want to throw Leipzig back into the Middle Ages, I hope at least. You’ve already said that these are the humanists’ issues. What are your specific areas of focus?

My specific areas of focus – well, within the PdH I belong to the social wing, which means I’m particularly drawn to issues in that sphere. Given that I have two children, education is naturally a huge issue for me – the entire educational landscape. If we look at the school buildings here in the city, the conditions are dire when it comes to facilities and air conditioning. So that’s a key issue: how we can bring about improvements here for the children and for education.

The second issue is social welfare. I’m lucky enough to have a relatively old tenancy agreement, which means I live cheaply. I’ve actually been looking for a bigger flat for myself and my family for years, but it’s a hopeless task unless you’re a top earner in this city. And I believe that’s where we need to start – ensuring that Leipzig remains a liveable city for everyone.

The third issue is actually somewhat linked to the topic of internal security. I believe there is a growing perception in Leipzig that it is no longer safe. Whether this is due to rising poverty, or the area around the railway station, for example, which has even been described in press reports as ‘Germany’s most dangerous railway station’. I think we have some catching up to do here, simply to reassure citizens: ‘This is your city and you can feel safe here; this is your home.’

You’re surely referring to a sense of safety, not security policy – such as massively increasing police numbers – but simply conveying the feeling that it’s safe?

Exactly – not building up a massive police force, that’s right, but simply taking measures, for example in the station area in particular; here we’re talking about drug policy and drug-related crime. There simply needs to be a massive increase in preventative work here, including in areas at risk of poverty where we have homelessness. This naturally goes hand in hand with the issue of social housing. I believe we can achieve much more here than through strict state power.

Now that you’re standing for the mayoral election, let’s just play a game: what if Fabian Schmidt became mayor – what would you do in your first 100 days?

In the first 100 days, I would definitely focus on the issue of digitalisation. I’ve experienced this first-hand as a citizen myself; I travelled abroad on business a while ago and needed a passport. Anyone who’s tried to get an appointment at the citizens’ office knows it’s difficult, if not sometimes impossible. In other words, making the city more digital, whilst also ensuring everyone is catered for. This means not doing away with in-person services altogether, but finding a healthy balance. We should give young people – those who are tech-savvy and able to do so – the option to book an appointment or apply for documents from home using their mobile phones. However, there must be an opportunity for the city’s older residents to speak to staff in person and have a proper discussion if they’re unsure how to use such a service.

Secondly, quite clearly, I would have a look at education policy here in the city. That means identifying what we can improve in terms of school districts, where we can make upgrades. I mean, children are born and start school six or seven years later – that’s no surprise. It’s something that can be planned for, and that’s where the PDH comes into play again – facts and figures.

The mayor’s term of office is seven years, so that would take us to 2034. You’d have been mayor for seven years by then. What is your vision for what Leipzig should look like after those seven years?

I believe Leipzig should return to its roots as a trade fair city. And for me, ‘trade fair city’ is a term that evokes a city of diversity, of education, of exchange – and also a city where people feel at home. In other words, a cultural centre offering opportunities for relaxation. We’re already a very green city here in Leipzig, thanks to the Green Belt, when it comes to greenery and parks. However, given the weather we’ve had over the last few weeks and the temperatures, I think there’s still room for improvement when it comes to the urban climate. And the really big challenge I’d like to tackle is the city’s infrastructure. In other words, the city is gridlocked with traffic. Be it cars, be it cyclists who are annoyed by motorists, or be it trams that have to brake because something isn’t working properly. We’ve got some catching up to do here to ensure that Leipzig remains a mobile, modern city in the future.

Thank you, and all the best.
With Fabian Schmidt, there are currently nine candidates standing for the office of Mayor of Leipzig. We’ll be speaking to the candidates again later, as the election campaign enters its crucial phase.