Lots of light, little shadow

Quick commentary on the 2023-2026 coalition agreement between the CDU and SPD "The best for Berlin"

CDU and SPD Berlin presented their coalition agreement 2023-2026 "The Best for Berlin" on Monday, April 3. VBKI President Markus Voigt commented on the agreement:

"The new coalition agreement brings a new tone to the Berlin Senate: refreshingly calm, solution-oriented and pragmatic. Instead of the ideological trench warfare that has divided our city, the new coalition partners are now focusing on greater cohesion and respect. The professional coalition negotiations between the CDU and SPD have already shown that the new centrist coalition really wants to tackle and solve the major challenges facing our city. That is good for Berlin!

 In terms of content, the coalition agreement builds a good bridge between practical action and visionary thinking. The basis for all policy areas is a functioning city. The agreement contains many promising agreements in this regard: On the continuation of administrative reform, on digitalization, for example in the form of a digital citizens' office, or on simplifying and speeding up administrative procedures. This applies in particular to the construction and urban development sector with the "Faster Construction Act", the shortening of development plan procedures, type approvals and the increased use of deemed approvals.

At the same time, the new Senate is looking ahead beyond the remaining legislative period. The examination of a forward-looking extension to the subway, the development of Tempelhofer Feld as part of an international competition, the willingness to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the introduction of an international Berlin business conference are taking Berlin's politics out of the daily minutiae and instead paying tribute to the international metropolis of Berlin.
However, we believe that there is still room for improvement in the form of closer cooperation in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region. And the financing of the projects outlined, such as the climate fund or the purchase budget for the municipal housing associations, should not result in higher new borrowing, partly in view of the rise in interest rates. Last but not least, the new Senate must take a stand to ensure that there are no more expropriations in our city.

With the equal division of portfolios between the CDU and SPD, the parties have laid a further foundation for good joint governance. In view of the fact that there are only three years left in the legislative period, the only marginal changes to the allocation of portfolios are also positive. Anything else would have kept the new Senate busy with crippling organizational issues at the start.

The new coalition of CDU and SPD under the designated Governing Mayor Kai Wegner therefore has the best prerequisites to actually deliver "The Best for Berlin". On behalf of the VBKI, we wish the new Senate all the best and every success! We will accompany it constructively and critically in its work."