Wangerooge has a new boss: Tina Mißmahl elected as mayor!

Wangerooge has a new boss: Tina Mißmahl elected as mayor!

In an exciting runoff election, Tina Mißmahl emerged as the new mayor of Wangerooge. With 419 votes, which corresponds to 56.93 percent of the vote, she competed against her challenger Sven Janisch, who received 317 votes (43.07 percent). A total of 742 of 1,093 eligible voters cast their votes, which corresponds to a voter turnout of 67.89 percent. Six ballot papers were invalid. This reports NDR.

The new mayor is 53 years old, born on the island of Wangerooge and mother of three children. Professionally, she works as a consultant for school expansion planning in the Bremen Senate. She had already run for mayor once in 2018, but lost to the then incumbent Marcel Fangohr. Your victory is not only a personal success, but also a sign of the return of stability to the community, which has been without a full-time mayor since Fangohr resigned in September 2023. The deputy spa director Rieka Beewen took over the official duties in the meantime.

A look at the circumstances of the election

The mayoral position in Wangerooge is highly sought after, and more than 580 people applied for the vacant position. The major parties SPD, CDU and Greens joined forces and chose Sven Janisch, who was previously the municipal director in Lauenau, as their joint candidate. What is interesting is that in the first round of voting on August 17, 2025, none of the candidates were able to achieve the required 50 percent of the votes. At that time, Mißmahl got 34.33 percent and Janisch 29.77 percent, which gave the general electoral tension an additional appeal. The support of the eliminated candidates benefited her in the runoff election, which significantly influenced her electoral success.

The previous mayor had forgone a deselection process, and the planned merger with the municipality of Wangerland to simplify administration was not implemented. This has presented Wangerooge with additional challenges over the last two years, which are now on Mißmahl's agenda. The most pressing issues include tight finances, a lack of housing, the loss of beaches and transport connections. It is also faced with demographic change, emigration and a shortage of skilled workers in administration.

Challenges and plans

The new mayor has already initiated a tourism and living space concept to address these challenges. The salary for the mayor's position is 7,650 euros gross, and an office with a view of the beach promenade will certainly also provide a special motivation to represent the interests of the island and its residents. With a breath of fresh air and a lot of commitment, Mißmahl is now setting out to lead Wangerooge into a positive future. Her return to the political arena is being watched with excitement, and the islanders are hoping for a good hand and innovative solutions from their new mayor.