Overview

• Andreas Stoch walked barefoot over 45 kilometers from Heidenheim to Ulm after losing a bet in an SPD board meeting tied to the Ulm mayoral election.
• He faced rain, mud, sharp grass and pebbles along the route but finished with only two plasters for chafed toes and no blisters.
• Stoch said the trek enhances bodily awareness and serves as a symbolic gesture of accountability and solidarity with voters.
• At the finish, Ulm Mayor Martin Ansbacher promised to walk barefoot from Ulm to Stuttgart if Stoch becomes minister-president in 2026.
• With SPD polling at 10–12% in Baden-Württemberg, Ansbacher’s reciprocal pledge carries minimal political risk.