The nationwide Day for People Experiencing Homelessness this Thursday has prompted renewed calls for constitutional reform. Jan van Aken, parliamentary group leader of the Left party, has advocated for the enshrining of a right to housing within the German constitution. “The right to housing belongs in the Basic Law” he told the “Rhinische Post”.
Van Aken emphasized that housing is a fundamental human right and pledged that the Left party would “strongly advocate” for this right to be included in the constitution.
He highlighted the estimated 500,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in Germany as a “political scandal” asserting that housing has become a commodity increasingly unaffordable for many. Without adequate housing, he argued, opportunities for employment, social participation and healthcare access are severely limited.
Emmi Zeulner, a Member of Parliament for the Christian Social Union (CSU) and member of the Building Committee, echoed the need to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness. She viewed the Day for People Experiencing Homelessness as a valuable opportunity to raise awareness and reaffirmed the goal of implementing the National Action Plan to combat homelessness, which aims to eradicate homelessness by 2030.
Federal Minister of Construction Verena Hubertz (SPD) previously underscored the gravity of the issue in July, stating that homelessness is a societal problem that demands attention. She expressed the view that in a prosperous country like Germany, no one should be forced to live on the streets.