Manfred Hahnen is running again for the FDP Norderney. With Manfred Hahnen, the FDP Norderney presents a candidate who can already look back on two local legislative periods in the Norderney City Council. In his first term, he held the office of Council Chairman and Chairman of the Social Committee; in the current term, he serves as Chairman of the FDP council faction. Now, Manfred Hahnen is applying for a third term on the Norderney City Council.

The FDP has deliberately undergone a rejuvenation with fresh candidates. Why is this so important for the political future of the island?

First of all, it is important to me to emphasize that our deliberate change of course is not just lip service for a short-term effect in the election campaign. I am firmly convinced: anyone who wants to master the challenges of the future also needs the perspectives of the generation that will live in that future. Young people bring young ideas, an unbiased view of existing structures, and the courage to question things. That is exactly what vibrant local politics needs.

It is not about throwing proven methods overboard; it is about setting new impulses and further developing policy. Norderney, like other municipalities, cannot afford to make policy over the heads of the next generation. With this spirit, we want to act as a dynamic opposition. Our great wish is a policy that takes the people of today along and makes the island fit for tomorrow.

However, a council faction cannot function entirely without experience. You must have felt that during your previous two terms in office?

And how! Those were intensive years in which I not only learned a lot but also learned the hard way. Today I know: local politics does not just consist of good ideas and good intentions. You have to know how the council works, how majorities are formed, and, of course, how to deal with certain administrative procedures. In this respect, we deliberately want to combine new perspectives with local political experience.

What were the most defining moments of your time on the council?

It wouldn't be good style to tell tales out of school here. Suffice it to say: there aren't always clear-cut answers, and proposals don't always arrive on time—or often at the very last minute. In such cases, experience in handling these processes and, to put it bluntly, a bit of a "thick skin" is an advantage. Fundamentally, my perception is that Norderney has been shaped by existing political structures for decades.

Furthermore, like many other council members, I view the proximity of the mayor—who is officially non-partisan—to the SPD very critically. This situation certainly creates an information gap within the council from time to time. That is exactly why we need a strong, independent, and critical opposition, which we have been in the past and want to be even more so in the future.

Which specific issues must be addressed urgently in the council?

We are facing major social changes throughout Germany that do not stop at our island community. The issues of the hour are healthcare, digitalization, demographic change, good jobs, and the development of tourism.

In addition, I have been personally driven for many years by the question of how young people can have good prospects. Subsequent generations should not even get the feeling that a better future lies on the mainland. Our goal is for Norderney to remain a place where people enjoy growing up safely, have a good job, can start a family, and can live well in old age. To achieve this, it is not enough to simply continue politics as before.

Can you give an example of what particularly bothers you?

One of my hot-button issues is the ongoing debate about affordable housing. It cannot be that there are no regularly conducted, resilient, and reliable needs analyses to determine what type and quantity of housing we actually require. For example, we must create incentives so that individuals voluntarily and gladly vacate large apartments for families. Instead, there is very quick talk of blanket bans, up to a comprehensive ban on holiday apartments. I consider that the wrong path. Tourism is and remains our main source of income; directly or indirectly, everyone on the island depends on this economic foundation.

You are in favor of rejuvenating politics—why should voters still choose you as an "old hand"?

Because experience and fresh ideas are not a contradiction, but the best possible combination. Young people bring in new perspectives—and I try to give them a voice on the political stage. This involves, among other things, organizing majorities, negotiating compromises, and successfully implementing projects. I bring this experience with me. At the same time, I look forward to providing new impulses together with a young team and passing on my experience step by step to the next generation of island politicians. Because: there are still plenty of central decisions to be made for the island!!

That is what I stand for with my experience—and together with new, committed candidates from the FDP Norderney