Germany’s Housing Crisis Deepens, One in Nine People Living in Overcrowded Conditions
According to the European statistics agency Eurostat, a staggering 11.5% of the German population, or one in nine people, lived in overcrowded conditions in the past year, a slight increase from the previous year’s 11.4%. Although this percentage is lower than the European Union’s average of 16.9%, the issue has been escalating over the past decade, with a significant jump from 6.6% in 2014.
The crisis particularly affects low-income and younger individuals, as revealed by the data obtained by the Left Party’s parliamentary group in Brussels, led by Sahra Wagenknecht.
“The housing crisis is worsening and one in nine people are living in overcrowded conditions” Wagenknecht criticized. “The number has nearly doubled in the past decade. Even normal and high-income earners are struggling to afford a decent apartment in many cities and I demand a nationwide rent cap.”
Wagenknecht emphasized the need for a nationwide rent freeze, stating, “Rent caps should be implemented nationwide, at least for five years, wherever it is no longer possible for people with a normal income to afford adequate living space.” She also criticized the government’s “build, build, build” approach, claiming that it only leads to unaffordable housing provided by private developers, rather than addressing the crisis.
The Left Party’s leader called for a “180-degree turn” in housing policy, suggesting that a more effective approach is needed to address the severe housing shortage and the growing issue of overcrowding in Germany.