Housing in Berlin: Greens and Linke Push Dispossessions, SPD and CDU Say No
A few days before the Berlin state election, and years after a refderendum on the matter, the discussion about expropriations of large real estate companies is ongoing.
Five years after Berlin voters endorsed the "Deutsche Wohnen & Co Enteignen" referendum on expropriating large real estate firms, the issue of whether the city should seize private housing stocks is resurfacing ahead of the September 20th state election. In 2021, over a million Berliners backed the proposal, with 58 percent supporting it.
However, the vote did not result in any legislation; it only directed the Senate to study the feasibility of the transfer. In June 2023, an expert commission found that Article 15 of the German constitution could permit such a move, including below-market value compensation.
The current political landscape in Berlin has seen the Greens, led by candidate Werner Graf, firmly supporting dispossessions, advocating for the Greens to seize companies if they enter government. Graf argued that the city would acquire real assets to offset the debt required for the transfers. Die Linke has demanded the implementation of the 2021 referendum as a condition for joining any future coalition, drawing criticism from the SPD. The SPD and CDU, both opposing the idea, align with the far-right AfD.
Recent public opinion data indicates a shift in support for the policy. A new survey shows that 46 percent of Berliners now oppose dispossessions, compared to 37 percent in favor, marking the first time a majority has expressed opposition since the 2021 referendum. The partisan divide is significant, with over 80 percent of CDU voters against the idea, alongside 64 percent of AfD supporters and 55 percent of SPD supporters. Among Greens, 53 percent back dispossessions, and 74 percent of Linke voters support the measure.
Even if Berlin's parties manage to agree on a course of action following the election, the matter may ultimately be decided at the federal level. The CDU and SPD in the federal coalition have agreed to pass a national law that would bar states from expropriating private rental housing through their own legislation. However, no such law has been introduced yet, and the federal government remains uncertain about which ministry will lead the effort.
The federal government has yet to decide if the measure will withstand constitutional scrutiny. For now, the debate over the 2021 referendum remains at the nexus of unresolved legal issues, widening party divisions, and a growing skepticism among Berlin's voters.
Written by urgent.news from The Berlin Spectator's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
