“Giffey is playing for time”: Berlin expropriation initiative demands majority of seats in commission – Berlin
The “Deutsche Wohnen & Co. expropriate” initiative will have a majority in the commission who will decide on the further implementation of the successful referendum on expropriation advises. She demands that “59.1 percent of the seats are occupied by representatives of the city society”. In addition, “there should be no people on the commission who are in any way dependent on the finance and real estate industry”.
According to the plans of the designated red-green-red government, the committee is to examine the implementation of the referendum after all companies with more than 3,000 apartments in Berlin are expropriated.
Almost 60 percent of the experts in the commission should be allowed to be named by the initiative, it said on Friday. This corresponds to the proportion of voters who voted for the referendum on September 26th. The quote thus also represents “the will of urban society”.
As reported, the SPD, the Greens and the Left agreed in their coalition negotiations to form a joint Senate to decide on the appointment of the expert commission within the first 100 days after the government was established. After its establishment, this should also have a year to discuss how to proceed with the referendum.
“Franziska Giffey plays for time”
The successful vote of the Berliners does not have a finished law as its content. The Berliners have agreed that a corresponding law for the socialization of large housing groups will be drawn up and put into effect.
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“Franziska Giffey wants to play for time with the establishment of a test committee,” said the initiative’s spokeswoman, Jenny Stupka. She sees a merger of “SPD and real estate lobby” at work with the aim of bending the will of Berliners to implement the referendum. “We won’t let ourselves be delayed and won’t accept any lazy compromises.”
On September 26th, 59.1 percent of those in Berlin who were eligible to vote had voted in favor of the association of large real estate groups. The aim of the initiative is to strengthen the common good on the housing market as well as “democratic control of property”.
Housing association rejects demand
The head of the largest housing association in Berlin-Brandenburg, BBU Maren Kern, rejected the demand from “expropriate DW”: “It is the task of an expert commission to deal with all facets of a topic from different perspectives,” said Maren Kern Housing industry must be part of the commission “.
It is true that a majority of Berliners voted in favor of the initiative’s proposal. She should not, however, “confuse this with the fact that it has given her some kind of negotiating mandate”.