Torsten Burmester

Torsten Burmester is a German politician and the current Mayor of Cologne, having assumed office on November 1, 2025. Before his election, he had a distinguished career as a ministerial official in North Rhine-Westphalia and as a prominent sports administrator, serving as the Secretary General of the German Disabled Sports Association and later as the CEO of the German Olympic Sports Confederation. Burmester's background includes extensive experience in federal administration, including roles in the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Ministry of the Interior. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD).