Overview
- Preliminary results put independent Gerrit Derkowski at 28.7 percent and Green candidate Samet Yilmaz at 24.8 percent, with SPD’s Ulf Daude third at 23.3 percent.
- No candidate secured an absolute majority, sending the top two to a December 7 runoff after a first round featuring nine contenders.
- Roughly 190,000 residents were eligible to vote, and participation was reported at about 48.7 to 48.9 percent.
- Derkowski is an independent backed by the CDU and FDP and a former NDR/ARD journalist who previously served on the Tagesschau presenting team.
- Yilmaz serves as a Green co-leader in Kiel’s council and earlier worked as a department head at Schleswig-Holstein’s domestic intelligence service, with reports showing him strongest in inner-city districts while Derkowski led in outer areas.