A referendum to preserve the green spaces in Munich is becoming increasingly likely, despite intensive negotiations between the initiators and the city hall coalition. The representatives of the citizens’ initiative as well as the Greens and the SPD could not agree on a compromise early on Monday evening.
In addition to the differences in content that still exist, the immense time pressure also speaks against the success of the talks. Tobias Ruff, one of the spokesmen for the citizens’ initiative and city councilor of the ÖDP, called a timely agreement “utopian”.
The initiators have long since submitted the necessary signatures for a referendum to the district administration department (KVR). This means that there are deadlines that must be met. On Wednesday, February 1st, the general meeting of the city council must accept the content of the referendum or officially decide on the referendum and set a date. If the initiators and the coalition agree on a joint decision, the representatives could withdraw the decision.
However, according to both sides, this would have to be done by next Friday so that the bill can be submitted to all city councils in good time.
Citizens’ petition spokesman Ruff considers it “not possible” to draft a paper that the green-red and the citizens’ petition with its 50 to 60 supporting organizations could agree on in a few days. His colleague Stefan Hofmeir also sees the time problem, but he is still hoping for movement. Further talks have been agreed, but negotiations would certainly have to take five to six hours, he said.
At the beginning of the negotiations, the representatives of the citizens’ initiative forced her long-standing comrade-in-arms Christine Burger, who was more willing to compromise, to leave the room. “It’s better to achieve 95 percent of our demands than to risk losing everything in a defeat,” Burger explained her attitude, with which she was unable to assert herself.
If an agreement fails, there could also be a decision by the Council
Both sides otherwise described the conversation as friendly and constructive. The sticking point is the question of how the preservation of the green spaces can be guaranteed. The citizens’ initiative wants to be closely linked to the land use plan, the coalition does not want any overly generalized specifications that would limit urban planning too much. That’s why Green-Red doesn’t want to take over the citizens’ initiative.
In the eyes of the initiators, on the other hand, the situation must not deteriorate for the citizens under any circumstances. The green spaces must always remain the same in terms of size and proximity to the citizens.
Green parliamentary group leader Mona Fuchs said that the goals of the citizens’ initiative and the coalition covered one hundred percent. They just don’t agree on the way. Despite the time pressure, reaching a compromise is still “Plan A” for her group.
Plan B would be to counter the referendum with a council decision with your own ideas. The SPD is also considering this, but has not yet decided. Group leader Christian Müller is one of those who consider a last-minute compromise unlikely.