New date for 2025 Berlin marathon to avoid clash with elections

The 2025 Berlin Marathon has been moved to a week earlier than originally planned to avoid clashing with the German parliamentary elections, as it did in 2021.

"Following talks with the federal government and the organizers of the Berlin Marathon, this important sporting event will take place on September 21, 2025," Berlin Interior Minister Iris Spranger said.

"I am delighted that we have found a joint solution with all those involved," she said.

The Berlin marathon next year was originally planned to take place on September 28. However, the city had already spoken out in favour and in agreement with the other federal states to hold the elections on that day.

In 2021, the marathon happened on the same day as the parliamentary election, the Berlin state election and the referendum on the expropriation of housing associations.

Numerous irregularities were reported during the elections in Berlin, including shortages of ballot papers, unusually long queues to vote and ballots being delivered to the wrong locations. The several road closures due to the marathon only exacerbated these issues.

In the end, the entire state election and parts of the parliamentary election had to be repeated.