Munich Mayoral Race: Reiter Faces Potential Runoff in 2026 Election
Munich, February 22, 2026 – The race for Munich’s mayoral office is heating up, with incumbent Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) seeking a third term. While he remains the frontrunner, a recent Forsa poll suggests he may once again face a runoff election, a scenario he has encountered in both of his previous campaigns.
Dieter Reiter has served as the Mayor of Munich since May 1, 2014. In the current election campaign, the SPD politician has made it clear that he is prepared for another term. To secure a victory in the first round on March 8, Reiter would need to achieve an absolute majority of 50 percent of the votes. He failed to reach this threshold in both the 2014 and 2020 municipal elections.
A Look Back at Previous Elections
Since 1960, the Mayor of Munich has been directly elected by eligible citizens every six years. The upcoming term will run until 2032.
In 2014, Reiter garnered 40.7 percent of the votes in the first round. His SPD predecessor, Christian Ude, was unable to run again due to age limits. In the subsequent runoff, Reiter secured 56.7 percent of the votes, defeating his CSU opponent Josef Schmid, who received 43.3 percent, and thus became the head of the state capital for the first time.
Six years later, Reiter again had to go through a runoff, facing another duel with the CSU. The SPD candidate confidently won with 71.7 percent of the votes, leaving long-time municipal councilor Kristina Frank in second place.
Will Dieter Reiter Face a Runoff for the Third Time?
A representative Forsa poll commissioned by the Munich Greens in January 2026 shows Reiter significantly ahead in the upcoming municipal election. However, with the 45 percent of votes attributed to him in the poll, he once again fell short of an absolute majority. Should Reiter face a runoff for the third time, it would take place on March 22. A neck-and-neck race appears to be developing for second place.
A total of 13 candidates are vying to become the Mayor of Munich. Incumbent Mayor Dieter Reiter (r.) is seen here with his CSU rival Clemens Baumgärtner.
Key Messages from the Candidates
For a panel discussion, Dieter Reiter (SPD), Dominik Krause (Greens), and Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU) visited the press house. The candidates emphasized various key messages during their campaigns. The full debate can be viewed via stream.
Forsa Poll Results for Munich Mayoral Election: January 2026
- Dieter Reiter (SPD): 45 percent
- Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU): 20 percent
- Dominik Krause (Greens): 20 percent
- Stefan Jagel (Left): 5 percent
- Markus Walbrunn (AfD): 5 percent
- Michael Piazolo (Freie Wähler): 3 percent
- Other Candidates: 2 percent
The poll highlights the challenge Reiter faces in securing an outright victory in the first round, despite his strong lead. The close proximity of Baumgärtner and Krause in the polls suggests that the battle for the second spot in a potential runoff will be fiercely contested.
The upcoming election will determine the leadership of Munich until 2032, making it a crucial decision for the city’s future. All eyes will be on March 8, to see if Mayor Reiter can break his runoff streak, or if Munich citizens will head to the polls again on March 22.
Source: tz.de
