Senate – Berlin – Scholz: Expropriations do not create living space – politics
Berlin (dpa) – In the Berlin debate about the expropriation of a large housing company, Chancellor Olaf Scholz sided with the governing mayor Franziska Giffey (both SPD) and at the same time voted into the capital’s election campaign. “Expropriations do not create new apartments,” Scholz told the “Tagesspiegel” (online Saturday) to the coalition partner Greens and Left in Berlin. To implement this nationalization of real estate of large corporations, which was demanded by referendum: “I think it is irresponsible to spread the illusion that with a growing population and today’s completely changed living conditions, it would be possible to meet the high demand without building new apartments”, said the Chancellor.
The expropriation of a major housing company is one of the most controversial issues in the February 12 re-election campaign. Since April, a commission of experts set up by the Senate has been discussing whether and, if so, how this can be implemented. Left top candidate Klaus Lederer had spoken out in favor of presenting a draft law for a maximum of one year if the commission gives the green light. The Greens’ top candidate Bettina Jarasch named conditions for such a law on Friday and dampened expectations that it could be implemented quickly.
At the same time, Scholz campaigned for Giffey’s re-election. He certified that the city had “overtaken many other countries” and “recently achieved great economic growth”, although it was “challenged by the large increase in population”. “I trust a personality as strong as Franziska Giffey to master it,” said the Chancellor.
At the same time, Scholz revised the previously unfulfilled promise of the traffic light coalition in the federal government to build 400,000 new apartments a year. “Of course, after everything that’s happened in the world, the current price increases don’t make things any easier,” admitted the Chancellor, but at the same time emphasized: “But that’s not why we’re giving up on our goal. I want to do it, soon in a year To build 400,000 apartments and it should stay that way.” The money for more social housing is available. He appealed to the construction industry to get ready to create more affordable housing.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230128-99-395325/2