Berlin’s governing mayor, Kai Wegner of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has issued a pointed call for increased federal support in tackling runaway rental costs and the proliferation of furnished rental properties within the city. In an interview with the Tagesspiegel, Wegner underscored the urgency of a more robust response, criticizing the current level of federal assistance as inadequate.
Wegner’s demand comes amidst renewed debate surrounding the extended rent control measures for Berlin, implemented just this week. He argued that the federal government must empower local authorities to impose stricter penalties for violations of these regulations. The mayor emphasized his administration’s commitment to ensuring housing affordability in Berlin, explicitly requesting backing from both the CDU and SPD factions within the national coalition.
The call highlights a growing tension between Berlin’s municipal government and the federal level, particularly regarding economic policy. Wegner specifically challenged the leadership of Chancellor Friedrich Merz to prioritize reducing construction costs. He proposed a package of measures including targeted subsidy programs, a significant reduction in bureaucratic hurdles and a rapid acceleration of planning and permitting processes. He acknowledged the potential benefit of the federal government’s recently approved “construction acceleration” initiative, but suggested its impact would be limited without more comprehensive reforms.
While acknowledging positive developments, notably the anticipated achievement of Berlin’s long-held new construction targets by the city’s own housing corporations, Wegner stressed the necessity of broad collaboration. He emphasized the crucial role of both cooperative housing models and private investment in addressing what he described as “the social question of our time”. Critics, however, maintain that Wegner’s appeal represents a veiled attempt to deflect responsibility for Berlin’s ongoing housing crisis, placing the onus on the federal government to solve problems largely stemming from local planning policies and a perceived reluctance to incentivize truly affordable housing developments. The extent to which the federal coalition will respond to Wegner’s demands remains to be seen, but the exchange signifies a deepening political disagreement over the future of housing policy in Germany.