Green candidate Jarasch blames the SPD for dysfunctional Berlin
The Berlin Greens top candidate Bettina Jarasch presents her campaign for the repeat of the House of Representatives elections
Source: dpa
The Berlin Green Party’s top candidate states “that the city no longer works”. Jarasch has identified her coalition partner, the Governing Mayor Giffey (SPD), as the culprit in the election debacle – and gives green-red-red as the target. But the eco-party is apparently also being courted by the CDU.
EA bit strained, but full of energy: The Berlin Greens top candidate Bettina Jarasch presented her election campaign on Monday – content and motifs with which she wants to contest the ultra-short election campaign until the repeat election on February 12th.
The Greens did not bring about the repetition after the chaos election in September 2021, said Jarasch. “But of course it is a second chance to complete what would have been right last year.” Jarasch leaves no doubt as to what would be right from the Greens’ point of view: namely the continuation of the red-green-red coalition alliance – only with her instead of Franziska Giffey (SPD) as Governing Mayor.
Jarasch does not want to rule out other alliances either. “But we have a clear preference.” Many Berliners wanted progressive politics, but under new leadership, said Jarasch. “The satisfaction with the head of government is not very great.” The incumbent senator for the environment, mobility, consumer and climate protection is therefore going into the election campaign with the message: “Time for green, time for Jarasch.”
When the hot phase of the election campaign begins on January 2nd, the Greens want to be present on social media with 30,000 posters, hundreds of billboards and clips. In addition, there will be a specific postal voting campaign, as announced by capital party leader Philmon Ghirmai. Nobody here has had any experience with an election date in the gray Berlin winter, so the Greens want to persuade as many voters as possible to vote early by letter. Jarasch is building on being able to mobilize her followers better than the competition.
Jarasch (centre) with the Greens state chairmen Susanne Mertens and Philmon Ghirmai
Source: dpa/Christophe Gateau
Source: dpa
In any case, a heart-stopping finale is already in the offing. The CDU, Greens and SPD have been very close together in polls in Berlin for a long time; Jarasch and Giffey had already fought a neck-and-neck race in the House of Representatives elections in September 2021, which Giffey only narrowly won on the evening of the election.
As a strong third competitor, CDU party and faction leader Kai Wegner is in the running. In the recent survey by Civey on behalf of the “Daily Mirror” of December 11 with 25 percent clearly ahead, ahead of the Greens (21 percent) and the SPD (18 percent). Infratest Dimap, on the other hand, looked at her for RBB and “Berlin Morning Post” conducted a survey of November 23, the Greens with 22 percent ahead of the CDU (21) and SPD (19). The polls are only clear on one point: together, the three left-wing governing parties have a clear majority.
It should therefore be difficult for Wegner to develop a power option. Most recently, however, he had made remarkably positive comments about the green top candidate. “Kai Wegner is looking for proximity to the Greens, not to the SPD,” quoted “Bild” participants in a confidential round about the CDU state leader. The headline “Wegner wants with Jarasch” appeared on the day of the green campaign presentation.
CDU state leader and top candidate Kai Wegner
Source: Marlene Gawrisch/WORLD/MARLENE GAWRISCH
Jarasch countered such inquiries coolly. “Anyone who wins an election must be able to form a stable government,” she said. “And Green-Red-Red had a stable majority in all polls.”
“City doesn’t work anymore”
Thematically, the Greens want to start with similar goals as in the previous election campaign: climate-friendly urban redevelopment, a mobility turnaround in favor of bicycles and local public transport, the expansion of renewable energies, a housing market geared towards the common good, and administrative reform. A year ago, a program was developed that was to apply for five years, said Jarasch. “We’re not doing everything new now. But the framework conditions have changed significantly.”
In view of the energy crisis, there is much greater momentum for the energy transition, including for the remunicipalisation of the heat supply. And with the Berlin offer of a 29-euro ticket for local transport, the entry into “affordable mobility” was also successful. Jarasch also suffered a defeat in the transport sector in this first year of government: the Berlin administrative court declared that Friedrichstrasse was partially closed to cars for unlawful.
The top green woman herself criticized the performance of the coalition. “The election debacle made it clear that the city is no longer functioning and that we need to modernize the administration. That was not addressed in the first year.”
Jarasch believes he already knows who is to blame for this: “This can only be controlled from the Senate Chancellery. Otherwise it won’t work.” The targeted jab at the Governing Mayor shows that it will not be easy for Franziska Giffey to defend her power.
“Berlin a Failed State – The current Senate is working on this with great determination”
“Berlin has always been badly governed,” says WELT columnist Henryk M. Broder. A problem in the capital: “There were the biggest flops for which nobody was responsible.” According to Broder, Franziska Giffey is “clearly overwhelmed”.
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