Around 85 percent of Berliners live in rented accommodation. At the same time, the housing market in the capital is tight: rents are rising, new housing construction remains sluggish, and legal loopholes frequently allow furnished apartments to be offered at inflated prices. This is why rent policy is one of the central issues in Berlin’s election campaign.
The Berlin parties agree on some housing policy measures. Almost all major parties – the CDU, the SPD, the Greens and Die Linke – support the consistent enforcement of the rent brake as well as the introduction of a rent register to create greater transparency in the housing market or to help combat excessive rents. Only the AfD opposes both proposals.
However, each party has its own priorities when it comes to regulating the rental market. The CDU and AfD place greater emphasis on private investors, deregulation in new housing construction and support for property owners. The SPD, Greens and Die Linke, on the other hand, want to provide greater support for public housing construction and public-interest organisations such as housing cooperatives.
The parties’ positions also differ significantly when it comes to the socialisation of large housing companies. The debate was triggered by the successful referendum initiated by the Berlin campaign “Deutsche Wohnen & Co enteignen” in 2021. So far, however, the result of the referendum has yet to be implemented. The CDU and AfD strictly oppose socialisation, while the Greens and Die Linke explicitly support it. The SPD takes a more cautious stance on the proposal but does not rule out the use of this instrument.
