The open seat left by retiring incumbent Petra Broistedt has produced a fragmented four-candidate field for the September 13 first-round vote, keeping implied probabilities tightly clustered among the leading options. Onyeka Oshionwu (Greens, backed by Volt) draws on prior local visibility as an honorary mayor and cross-party dialogue emphasis, while Florian Dinger (SPD) retains the traditional social-democratic base and Ehsan Kangarani (CDU, supported by the FDP) appeals to center-right voters focused on fiscal discipline. Thomas Goes (Left) trails with a narrower platform. Recent candidate forums have shown broad agreement on housing and climate priorities but clearer divides on city finances, security, and transport, with no decisive late shifts reported. High student and young-voter turnout in this university city, or any final-week endorsements, could still alter first-round margins ahead of a possible September 27 runoff.