He won the second mayor position with 23 votes, including three from outside the AfD’s 20-member faction. The SPD–CDU joint list received 43 votes, yet CDU candidate Werner Wöll lost the second slot under the D’Hondt calculation. The origin of the three cross-party votes remains unknown despite prior pledges by other parties to avoid backing AfD candidates. The vote took place at the constituting council meeting after Mayor Andrea Henze was sworn in and all 66 councilors were seated. Emmerich, 72, a former bank clerk and recent mayoral runoff candidate, will perform representative deputy duties in the role.
