Focusing on Housing Policies in Local Election Campaign: North Rhine-Westphalia Greens - NRW Green Party to prioritize housing policies during local election drive
North Rhine-Westphalia Greens Focus on Affordable Housing in Municipal Election Campaign
Paramount in the municipal election campaign of the Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is the critical issue of affordable housing. The party is advocating for bolstering municipal housing associations, restricting short-term rentals through platforms in housing market hotspots, and promoting more budget-friendly serial construction. Around 280 delegates at the recently concluded state party conference voted in favor of a motion supporting these initiatives.
State party leader Yazgülü Zeybek highlighted soaring rents as one of the most pressing social concerns of the present day. While many apartments remain vacant or are leased short-term to tourists on platforms like Airbnb, numerous families find it challenging to secure affordable city housing. "We cannot turn a blind eye to this," Zeybek emphasized.
Futuristic prospects were highlighted by Federal party leader Felix Banaszak, who underscored the significance of the upcoming NRW municipal election on September 14. He underscored that a successful outcome would send a crucial message for further triumphant state and municipal elections next year.
Banaszak acknowledged that recent headwinds have affected the Greens nationwide. "Given the daunting prospects ahead, we approach them with considerable self-assurance," he said, citing the party's historical ability to recover from adversity.
Setbacks in the February federal election were experienced by the Greens. Across Germany, they received 11.6% of the vote, and in NRW, they merely became the fourth-strongest force behind the CDU, SPD, and AfD with 12.4%.
However, the Greens achieved their best result in an NRW municipal election to date in 2020. In Cologne, they even topped the polls, while in Düsseldorf, they placed second behind the CDU. And for the first time, they won the office of mayor in NRW: in Aachen, Bonn, and Wuppertal. Since 2022, the Greens have been part of a black-green coalition with the CDU on the state level.
Criticism of the new federal government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) was voiced by the Green parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, Katharina Droge, during her speech at the party conference. She asserted that he was not adequately prepared for the chancellorship and made serious oversights, for instance, during negotiations on the debt brake.
Nevertheless, the Greens supported Merz's ascension to the chancellorship because the relaxation of the debt brake and the establishment of a 500 billion euro special fund for investments were appropriate in substance, explained Droge. Now, residents of NRW anticipate this money to be allocated toward measures for a functioning infrastructure.
Initiating a ban procedure against the AfD was called for by the party conference, with a corresponding urgent motion passed with one abstention. State party leader Tim Achtermeyer argued that a court determines party bans, but politics is responsible for filing applications. "Are we prepared to defend the mandate of the Basic Law for us and our democracy and the values it upholds?" he asked, to which he replied with an affirmative answer. Bonn's Green mayor, Katja Dörner, warned that the AfD was attempting to undermine democracy from within, and they would not allow it to happen.
In a broader context, NRW maintains a proactive stance on affordable housing with several polices and key proposals focusing especially on the priorities of the Greens during recent municipal elections. Notably, NRW has extended the rent cap in 57 municipalities with strain on housing markets, up from 18 previously, while enhancing transparency regarding ancillary costs and imposing stricter guidelines on index-linked rents and furnished apartments. The Greens support stronger tenant protections and aim to close rent-cap exemptions and fight circumvention tactics such as short-term rentals.
The Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia are adamant about addressing the vital concern of affordable housing, proposing reinforcing municipal housing associations, restricting temporary rentals in hotspot areas, and promoting more affordable serial construction. The party conference, with 280 delegates, voted in favor of these initiatives, recognizing soaring rents as a significant modern social issue.
In the broader context, the Green party, both at the state and federal levels, is steadfast in its commitment to lifestyle and general news issues, including home-and-garden matters and politics, as evidenced by their focus on affordable housing and their stance against the AfD. The upcoming municipal election in NRW presents an opportunity to set a precedent for future elections and demonstrate their resilience in the face of political challenges.
