One year of black-red in Berlin -
Interim balance with light and shade

VBKI survey: Score of 3.3 for Team Wegner's record to date | Sunday poll: absolute majority for CDU, SPD and Greens in second place with just under 15 percent each   

Text Sebastian Thomas | Head of Communication & Marketing

For almost a year now, Berlin has been governed by the black-red coalition led by Governing Mayor Kai Wegner. According to members of the Association of Berlin Merchants and Industrialists (VBKI), the interim results are mixed. In a recent survey, the business representatives gave the current state government a satisfactory report card and rated its performance to date with an average score of 3.3. To put this into perspective: The previous government, led by Franziska Giffey and supported by an alliance of the SPD, Greens and Left Party, received a score of 4.2 after its first year in office. This means that "Team Wegner" is almost a whole grade better after one year in office. Respondents are most likely to see progress - with generally restrained applause - in strengthening the business location, while they perceive particularly little progress in the areas of "driving forward the mobility turnaround" and "accelerating digitalization".

A look into the future also reveals a mixed picture. A majority of 57% of respondents are less confident (34%) or not at all confident (23%) that the current state government will fulfill the expectations placed in it by the end of the legislative period. This contrasts with 44% who are either very confident (9%) or confident (35%) in this respect. According to 56% of respondents, the CDU sets the tone within the two-party alliance, while 8% see the SPD playing a dominant role. 36% consider the balance of power to be even.

Despite the improvement in the balance sheet, the participating VBKI members believe that there is currently no alternative to a CDU-led state government. On the contrary: as a result of the Sunday poll, they would give the Christian Democrats an absolute majority. 54% of respondents voted for the CDU, while the SPD and Greens would each receive just under 15%. The Free Democrats would be represented in the House of Representatives again with just under 10 percent.

With Kai Wegner and Stefan Evers, two CDU politicians lead the popularity ranking among the incumbent members of the Senate, with the Senator for Finance still a blink of an eye ahead of the Governing Mayor with an average score of 3.06 (3.07). Third place is occupied by Senator for Culture Joe Chialo (CDU, 3.11), followed by Senator for Transport Manja Schreiner (CDU, 3.25) and Senator for Justice Dr. Felor Badenberg (non-party, 3.35). Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU, 3.36) is in 6th place together with the first SPD politician in the ranking - Interior Senator Iris Spranger (3.36). 7th place is occupied by Building Senator Christian Gaebler (SPD, 3.52), followed by Economics Senator Franziska Giffey (SPD, 3.61) and Science Senator Dr. Ina Czyborra (SPD, 3.61). Social Affairs Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (SPD, 3.77) brings up the rear. The data is based on an anonymous online survey conducted by the VBKI among its members over the past few days. A total of around 100 people took part in the survey.