From 1967 Maly was involved honorarily in the Sozialistische Jugend Deutschlands – Die Falken (Socialist Youth of Germany – Falcons) and was delegated by them as the chairman of the Kreisjugendring (District Youth Association) Nuremberg-City. Since 1984 Maly has been a member of the SPD.
In 1990, Maly became whip of the SPD city council faction. From 1996 to 2002 Maly held the appointment of the city treasurer of Nuremberg. Since 1 May 2002 Ulrich Maly has been the Lord Mayor of the city of Nuremberg. In November 2005 he was elected to the SPD federal executive council.
Maly was shortlisted for the 2008 World Mayor award.
In March 2019, Maly announced that he would not stand in the 2020 local elections but instead resign from active politics by the end of his term.[1]
Chairman of the board of several municipal subsidiaries, like the『Städtische Werke Nürnberg』(Municipal Plants Nuremberg), the "Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Nürnberg mbH" (House Building Company Nuremberg)
Foundation council chairman of the『Stiftung Staatstheater Nürnberg』(Foundation State Theatre Nuremberg)
Chairman of several foundations, e.g. the『Zukunftsstiftung der Sparkasse Nürnberg』(Future foundation of the Savings Bank Nuremberg)
Board of the『Congress- und Tourismuszentrale Nürnberg e. V.』(Nuremberg Central Office of Congress and Tourism) and the "Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut (DAI)" (German-American Institute) and other associations.
