VBKI Election Poll: CDU Clearly in the Lead

VBKI Election Poll: CDU Clearly in the Lead

Berlin's Business Community Calls for Faster Progress on Housing, Bureaucracy, and Administration

Text by Jonas Koch | Junior Communications and Marketing Specialist

A few days before the Berlin election, we asked: What does Berlin’s business community expect from policymakers after the election? 340 people participated in our survey. The result: There is a strong desire for faster action, reforms, and concrete implementation.

In the latest opinion poll, the CDU is clearly in the lead with 51.5 percent. It is followed by the FDP with 13.2 percent, Alliance 90/The Greens with 9.4 percent, the AfD with 8.2 percent, and the SPD with 6.8 percent. The survey is not representative and does not constitute an election forecast; rather, it provides a snapshot of current public sentiment.

Housing construction tops the list of political priorities: 46.8 percent consider the construction of new housing to be one of the three most important tasks. This is followed by reducing bureaucracy at 36.5 percent, internal security at 35.6 percent, education at 29.7 percent, and modernizing the public administration at 27.6 percent.

Expectations regarding the style of governance are also clear: More than 70 percent cite speed of implementation, a willingness to reform, or decision-making ability as the most important qualities of the next state government.

“Our survey sends a very clear message: Above all, Berlin’s business community expects the next state government to take action. Accelerating housing construction, reducing bureaucracy, modernizing public administration, and creating a reliable framework for investment—these issues are on the table. The key will be to actually put these findings into practice. The fact that nearly two-thirds of respondents feel that economic issues have not been given sufficient attention in the election campaign so far should make all parties sit up and take notice.”

Prof. Harald Christ, VBKI President

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65 percent of those surveyed believe that economic issues have not been given sufficient attention in the election campaign so far. The picture is also clear when it comes to the issue of public ownership: 86.8 percent oppose the next state government continuing to pursue the public ownership of large private housing stocks.

The outlook for the capital region’s future viability is also somewhat cautious: 28.8 percent have a high or very high level of confidence, while 35.6 percent have a low or very low level of confidence. For us, this is a clear mandate to quickly generate new momentum for investment, growth, and the further development of Berlin after the election.

About the survey:
A total of 340 people participated in the anonymous online survey, which was conducted from August 27 to September 7, 2026. The survey is not representative and serves as a snapshot of current sentiment in Berlin’s business community.