What do the Berlin election results tell us?
Our TOP 3 takeaways
1. Housing won
Housing is clearly the central issue in Berlin, as StimmlosTrend also showed.
Die Linke won by putting housing at the top of its agenda. Many citizens now hope they can deliver.
2. Voting with gloves
Many people vote against a party or candidate rather than for one.
Many voted against Kai Wegner. Many voted against governing parties that they felt had not delivered.
3. Survival
Once, elections were a celebration of democracy.
Now, we hope to survive.
Our Fazit
A healthy democracy rests on some basic principles:
- People who live here should have equal rights to vote and be elected.
- Citizens should have opportunities to participate in solving common problems.
- Political institutions should reflect the diversity of the society they govern.
These principles are still challenges rather than solid foundations of today’s democratic system.
Society, public life and technology have changed, and democracy needs to change with them.
It is time to create new forms of participation. It is time to renew democracy.
How can WahlheYmat respond to the election?
We see two directions for our work.
1. Put the issues that matter to us on the agenda of the new government
We will advocate for:
- Voting rights for long-term residents who contribute to Berlin through their work and taxes.
- Better ways to include the knowledge and experience of international residents in political decision-making. Three examples:
- Bürgerräte instead of Beiräte.
- A Co-Mayor or Deputy Mayor role representing international residents and their interests.
- Clear responsibility for civic participation within the Rotes Rathaus.
We will share these proposals with the parties that could be part of Berlin’s next government and invite them to discuss how they could be implemented.
2. Build a coalition of civic forces
Berlin is full of amazing grassroots organisations working in almost every field.
The question is: how can we come together, strengthen each other and build a stronger civic movement for democratic renewal?
This is where we see an important role for WahlheYmat: connecting people, organisations and ideas that are already working for a more inclusive democracy and creating platforms to reach more people.
Share your ideas with us! Connect with us. Join us. And come to the next WahlheYmat Talk on 14 October.
(Header image: © Vujadin Zdravković | Pixabay)
