On election Sunday, November 26, 2023, it quickly became clear that there would be a second round of voting.
The mayor candidate and the candidates, together with a business representative
and a political scientist, were invited to draw the vision for Pirna’s future.

The election winner Tim Lochner (AfD 32.9 %) threw his hat into the ring for the second
round of voting on the evening of the election. He was followed by the runner-up Ralf Thiele (Freie Wähler 23.2 %), who announced on Monday
noon that he would also run in the second round.

In the meantime, third-placed Kathrin Dollinger-Knuth (CDU 20.3%) had held exploratory talks with the other candidates
and was able to convince André Liebscher (non-party 13.7%) and Ralf Wätzig (SPD/Greens 9.9%)
to support her candidacy in the second round of voting. This means that the
alliance has around 44% of the votes.

Kathrin Dollinger-Knuth also took part in the discussion on Tuesday morning together with Dr. Maik Herold (researcher, Midem, Dresden University of Technology) and Dr. Jens Werner (Managing Director, Litronik Batterie-
technologie GmbH). Tim Lochner and Ralf Thiele had canceled their
participation at very short notice.

The three panellists – Mayor candidate Dollinger-Knuth, Maik Herold and Jens Werner dedicated their contributions in particular to Pirna’s image of the future.

Jens Werner described the Pirna soul as open, curious and lovable. For his company,
a hidden champion based in Pirna, the attractiveness of the town is particularly important when it comes to recruiting
skilled workers and employees from abroad. Around ten percent of his employees
do not have their roots in Germany and they are exis-
tential to the company’s success. For him, the attractiveness of a location is determined by lnnovation and openness to the world
. Local problems, such as the digital infrastructure or the connection of the company location to the
public transport system, are currently being addressed in a solution-oriented manner with Mayor candidate Dollinger-Knuth, for example.

Dollinger-Knuth’s concern about the outcome of the mayoral election is that the image of Pirna for investors and
the marketing of Pirna as a location for skilled workers will be damaged in the nationwide public eye. That is why
the needs of the economy would be a “top priority” for her in a possible office of mayor. This is where the course
is set for the success of the companies and only with the companies can the prosperity in Pirna be
maintained. Dollinger-Knuth also stands for active civic participation, support for
associations and the inclusion of Pirna’s young people in the democratic discourse.

Maik Herold from the TU Dresden and a native of the Ore Mountains with heart and soul noted that the result of the
first round of voting should not be dramatized and that we should not fall into a collective depression, but rather
should set ourselves apart and take a clear stance. It is evident in Europe, in America and also in
Pirna that populist movements are gaining ground without offering constructive solutions. His
appeal in Pirna is directed at all democratic parties. The decisive factor for the second round of voting will be whether the candidates for mayor succeed in drawing up a tangible, future-oriented vision for the tenth largest
city in Saxony. In his opinion, Pirna is “well positioned” for this.

We would like to thank all participants for the open and constructive discussion and appeal to all
eligible voters in Pirna to take the opportunity to help shape the future of Pirna
and cast their vote on December 17, 2023.

About the association WIRTSCHAFT FÜR EIN WELTOFFENES SACHSEN e. V.
Since it was founded at the end of 2016, our association “Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes SACHSEN” has taken on social responsibility and demonstrated its stance to the general public, customers and
its own workforce.

Our vision is an economically strong, cosmopolitan and international Saxony. Through our work
we want to contribute to greater economic performance in Saxony and support and specifically promote the integration of immigration and
immigration into the economy.

In order to be and remain economically successful in the long term, Saxony needs qualified skilled
workers. Due to demographic trends, the Free State is dependent on immigration.

The association “Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen” is the business network with a clear commitment to cosmopolitanism and internationality in the Free State of Saxony.
The association is specifically
involved in strengthening and expanding the existing great potential of Saxony’s economy,
in order to benefit society as a whole.

Contact for further information:
Office
Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen e. V.
Königstraße 4
01097 Dresden
Tel: +49 351 89 69 87-50
info@www.welcomesaxony.de

Spokesperson of the Executive Board Press contact, Deputy Spokesperson of the Executive Board
Robert Czajkowski Sylvia Pfefferkorn
Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen e. V. Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen e. V.
c/o Terrot GmbH
Paul-Gruner-Straße 72B Königstraße 4
09120 Chemnitz 01097 Dresden
+49 0371 52010 +49 351 811 987 04
info@terrot.de spfefferkorn@www.welcomesaxony.de