Thomas Zebunke, the district chairman of the Greens, wants to become the new district administrator in Wetterau.

At the party conference on Sunday, the organic farming specialist got 90 percent of the votes.

There was no opposing candidate.

In addition to Zebunke, the Social Democrat Rouven Kötter has so far expressed his interest in running for the post of district administrator.

In addition, it is expected that incumbent Jan Weckler from the CDU will start again.

The election date has not yet been set, but will be in the fall.

Thorsten Winter

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for central Hesse and the Wetterau.

  • Follow I follow

Weckler won the district election in March 2018 in the runoff with 57 percent of the vote against Stephanie Becker-Bösch from the SPD.

Zebunke also ran in the first ballot and got 14.8 percent.

Weckler succeeded Joachim Arnold (SPD).

Arnold has been on the management board of the regional supplier OVAG since the beginning of 2018 and, like Kötter, was mayor of Wölfersheim before that.

Commitment to species protection and against climate change

When asked, Zebunke named three top issues that he would like to take care of if he is elected.

First and foremost, the 61-year-old candidate mentioned working for equal economic and living conditions in all parts of the Wetterau.

Beyond the A45 there is a need to catch up compared to the north and south districts.

Secondly, he wants to make the district administration more citizen-friendly and win young people over to politics.

Thirdly, there is a wide range of environmental issues such as combating climate change, commitment to biodiversity, soil protection and saving water and other resources.

Zebunke works at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, where he takes care of international and legal issues relating to organic farming.

He previously held the same position for the state of Hesse.

Anders and Eberlein as direct candidates

In addition to Zebunke, the Green Party Congress also elected two direct candidates for the state elections in autumn.

Kathrin Anders is running in the southern constituency and Sabina Eberlein in the northern one.

Eberlein clearly prevailed in a fight vote against Sabine von zur Mühlen.

According to Zebunke, the party wants to decide in three weeks in Nidda who should stand up for the Greens in the eastern district.

Anders has been a member of the state parliament since 2019.