Election programme 2026

Name: Local election Ganderkesee 13 September 2026
Start: 2026-09-13
Location: Ganderkesee

This is where I set out what I plan to do, in detail. Ten topics in a clear order – with examples from Ganderkesee and with the reason each one is close to my heart.

My topics

Susanne Steffgen at her desk working on the election programme

My promise to Ganderkesee

I will not promise you anything I cannot keep. What I do promise is this: I read the papers before I vote. I ask again when something does not add up. I tell you honestly when something is not affordable right now instead of raising false hopes. And in every decision I keep in mind the people in Ganderkesee who have the least lobby behind them. Everything else you can read below, topic by topic.

Inclusive participation

Everyone belongs – with rights, respect and opportunity.

What this is about

As a woman who lives with barriers myself, I know how much real participation matters. Everyone should be able to take part in services, decisions and encounters – regardless of age, background or disability. That means barrier-free routes, buildings and clear information. Clubs and volunteering strengthen participation in everyday life.

Why it matters

Bookholzberg station only became truly accessible with lifts in 2025. For years that meant no spontaneous train trip, no appointment in Oldenburg, no independence. I have too often watched people simply stop planning after that. It is exactly this giving up that I want to prevent.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Tear down barriers and promote participation for every generation.
Rebuild pavements, ramps and bus stops step by step, with a timetable people can look up.
Municipal website and forms in clear language and without digital hurdles.
A permanent contact person for participation in the administration, with a name and a phone number.
Support clubs and volunteers who carry inclusion on the ground, without red tape.

Barrier-free and affordable housing

Create homes that fit us – affordable and accessible to all.

What this is about

A cheap flat helps nobody if the only way in is a flight of stairs. Affordable and barrier-free belong together, at every stage of life. We need housing for families, young people and older people – built and renovated for accessibility, thought through across generations, and with vacant space put to good use.

Why it matters

What good is a cheap flat on the first floor if there is no lift? Many people therefore stay where they can no longer manage – or have to leave the municipality. Housing decides participation, and closeness to work, daycare and neighbours.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Promote affordable and barrier-free housing for every stage of life.
Make accessibility a fixed check in every new build and renovation by the municipality.
Advance intergenerational living and the sensible use of vacant property.
Support age-friendly and affordable housing in the town centre.

Good mobility

Improve connections, shorten journeys – convenient, safe and climate-friendly.

What this is about

Mobility has to work in everyday life, be affordable and reliable – for every district. Buses, trains, cycling and walking routes have to be good enough that people can really use them. That way work, school, the doctor and leisure stay reachable for everyone – today and tomorrow.

Why it matters

Steinkimmen, Falkenburg or Bergedorf are often hard to reach without a car. That hits young people, older people and everyone on a small income first. An accessible station is a good start, but the last mile into the villages decides how everyday life feels.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Strengthen public transport: more frequent services, evenings and weekends included.
Continuous, safe and well-lit cycling and walking routes, especially to schools and stops.
Keep making bus stops barrier-free, consistently.
Look into flexible options such as on-call buses for thinly populated areas.

Strong education

Best chances from the start for every child and young person.

What this is about

Education is the foundation for participation, confidence and future chances. Daycare centres and schools need good equipment, modern places to learn and fair access. Good education eases family life in concrete ways – and decides whether young people want to stay here.

Why it matters

Ganderkesee is investing a lot right now: around 8.3 million euros in moving primary schools to all-day provision and around 5.4 million euros in the new daycare centre in der Heide. That is right. But money alone does not make a good place. What counts is whether a mother actually holds a confirmation in her hand in August – and whether young people find places and a real say.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Expand daycare and nursery places so no child is stuck on a waiting list.
Deliver the move to all-day schooling with real quality, not only new buildings.
Good working conditions so that childcare staff stay.
Promote youth rooms, affordable leisure and real participation for young people.

Climate responsibility

Protect our nature, conserve resources – for a future worth living.

What this is about

Climate action starts locally and works where it is practical, affordable and fair. The most effective measures cut costs and make daily life more pleasant at the same time: save energy, promote renewables, protect green spaces and adapt to heat, heavy rain and drought.

Why it matters

Hot summers and heavy rain reach Ganderkesee too, and they hit hardest where there is no cool place to retreat to. Prevention costs less than repair. At the same time, nobody should feel that climate action is something for people with savings.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Refurbish municipal buildings for energy efficiency – which saves emissions and running costs.
More trees, more greenery and less sealed surface against heat and heavy rain.
Expand solar power on public roofs.
Protect nature and waterways and take flood prevention seriously.

Fair work

Promote good work, strengthen the local economy – respectfully and with an eye on the future.

What this is about

Good work needs reliable conditions, short journeys and a strong local economy. Trades, mid-sized firms and services should have room to grow. We promote apprenticeships and skilled workers locally together – and the municipal budget has to stay honest and easy to follow.

Why it matters

The 2026 budget shows a record deficit of around 6 million euros, and debt is set to rise sharply by 2029. Figures like that do not frighten me, but they oblige me. Setting priorities also means saying honestly what has to wait – and keeping contracts in the area wherever possible.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Fair contracts for local trades and businesses with good working conditions.
Make apprenticeships and skilled workers in the area visible and support them.
Support founders.
Invest first in education, participation, safety and infrastructure – and present spending transparently.

A lively community centre

A place of encounter, togetherness and ideas for our municipality.

What this is about

Cohesion grows where people see each other: in clubs, at festivals, in the community centre, on a square with benches in the shade. The community centre should become a lively, open place for exchange, culture and community – for every generation. Clubs and volunteers need care, rooms and people who unlock the door.

Why it matters

Clubs and volunteers carry an enormous amount, and they are usually the first to give up when applications get complicated and rooms disappear. When a meeting place vanishes, you only notice months later, when suddenly nobody asks how the neighbour is doing.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Strengthen the community centre as an open meeting place for every generation.
Support clubs, culture and events reliably and without red tape.
Keep rooms open and accessible – including for people with disabilities.
Value volunteering and involve residents early, not once everything has been decided.

Ganderpass – social participation

A card that opens doors again.

What this is about

Not everyone in Ganderkesee can afford everything – and still nobody should be shut out of social life. The Ganderpass is meant to be a social pass modelled on the Oldenburg Pass, bringing reductions for sport, culture, public transport and municipal facilities. I also want to win over local shops that join in voluntarily and become visible as partners.

Why it matters

I have watched people turn down invitations and invent another appointment because the entry fee embarrasses them. Poverty withdraws before anyone asks. A card in your pocket takes that shame away and brings people back into the middle of town.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Introduce a Ganderpass modelled on the Oldenburg Pass.
Secure reductions for sport, culture, public transport and municipal facilities.
Win local businesses as voluntary partners.
Make the pass usable beyond the municipal border together with neighbouring councils.

Older people

Growing older in the middle of town, not at its edge.

What this is about

Our municipality is getting older – that is a chance. Older people bring experience, time and commitment. So they can take part actively, we need meeting places close to home, good advice and services that prevent loneliness – plus barrier-free routes, benches and reliable public transport.

Why it matters

Loneliness makes people ill, and it usually starts quietly: the bus runs less often, the shop closes, a friend moves in with her daughter. Suddenly a whole week passes without a conversation. No council decision alone fixes that. A place where somebody is waiting for you does – and a real mix of generations.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Promote accessible meeting places and activities across generations.
Barrier-free routes, benches and reachable meeting places in the districts.
Mobile services for everyone who can no longer get out easily.
Digital participation with patient courses and local contacts.

Health and care

Local care you can reach without a car.

What this is about

Health is the foundation for a self-determined life – especially in a spread-out municipality like Ganderkesee. Family doctors, specialists, therapy, pharmacies and care services have to stay reachable and accessible in the districts. Family carers do an enormous amount and need relief, clear advice and reliable contacts.

Why it matters

When a practice closes for reasons of age and the next one is only reachable by car, the oldest and the sickest lose touch first. From my own experience with a chronic condition I know how much short journeys and real support matter.

What I want to do in concrete terms

Secure local medical care and attract new doctors to practices.
Promote accessible practices, from the front door to the examination couch.
Expand day care, short-term care and outpatient services locally.
Support family carers with counselling and relief.

You have read this far, thank you

If something is missing here or you see it differently, please tell me. And if you agree, then give me your vote on 13 September 2026.

My topics Contact