The Berlin housing crisis can be resolved through targeted state intervention and the expansion of the public housing stock, and democracy must be defended against the AfD through active voter turnout.
The text is an interview with the Berlin SPD member of parliament Sevim Aydın on the state election on 20 September. She describes the Berlin housing crisis as a central problem and names specific political measures: rent cap, more staff for rent monitoring, restriction of fixed-term tenancies, a registration obligation for landlords, and a reporting portal. As her most important goal she names the construction of 20,000 apartments per year, of which 5,000 social housing units, and the increase of the public housing stock from 400,000 to 500,000. She speaks about the lack of visibility of the guest worker generation in the public space of Berlin and advocates for a monument in Kreuzberg, with Oranienplatz named as a possible location. She identifies waste, environmental pollution, and drug problems as pressing issues in Kreuzberg. Finally, she warns against the AfD, refers to statements by Björn Höcke on so-called remigration, and calls for voter turnout to prevent the AfD together.
Analysed with qwen3.8-27b, version v3.
The same standards apply to every tradition, see Values.
Full text in English
Dear Sevim Aydın, welcome. You have been a member of the Berlin state parliament since 2021. In the election to be held on September 20, you are the top candidate for the SPD from Crossberg. At the same time, you are also a direct candidate in the area we call Crossberg Nord. >> Hmm. In Crossberg, people have been forced to leave their neighborhoods for years due to high rents. Actually, this problem is not only Crossberg’s, but a problem for all of Berlin. >> Well, when you get re-elected and enter the parliament, well, how do you intend to solve this problem? What do you want to do in this area? >> Well, let me start like this. Well, the rent and housing problem is currently one of the biggest problems in Berlin, indeed. So it is not just Crossberg, but across Berlin. Well, let me put it this way. Well, the biggest problem is this. Well, people who own a home, well, for long-term tenants, it is not a very big problem. Mostly, I mean, for those who have been renting for 20 years, 30 years, well, most of their rents are not very expensive. Well, the bigger problem is that when you look for a home, you cannot find one, and when you do find one, the rents are very high. So the thing we call the Angabetin has increased by 50% in the last 10 years, according to the news. This is, of course, well, because there is not enough housing, let’s say that is one point, but there are of course other points as well. As you know, well, since 2023, well, we are in government. Together, before that, we had governed with the Left and the Greens. Well, within this period, well, we tried to do a few things. Let’s say that. To lower rents, especially, well, first, the rent monitoring agency we call the MIT price profile came into effect. Well, and after it came into effect, we realized that landlords, to a large extent, are not charging rents in accordance with the law. They are charging above that, or excessively high rents. Well, for this, well, especially when we made the budget, we got the money in our hands, and as you know, well, especially the municipalities are responsible for this rent monitoring. Well, and for a long time they have always told us that there is no staff or something. We, especially I, well, made an effort for this. Well, we got the budget, the additional budget, well, in our hands, and to be able to provide staff to the municipalities. So currently, well, these, well, were hired, no, sorry, 31 people, well, so the municipalities have the possibility against high rents. And to monitor this staff. In our program, we also said this. Well, in the first stage, well, there is something called meeting polit. So we, well, want to raise this, and in this monitoring, we will fight to a greater extent, well, and especially support the municipalities, well, and try to prevent these, well, well, continuity, well, how should I say it, we will try to prevent it. So, well, in the second point, we restricted the limitation of limited-term rental housing. Well, we did this because it mostly leads to high rents. In the third point, a well, well, law came into effect. Currently, well, before the holiday, well, to be able to control high rents, landlords will now, well, let’s say, start mandatory, well, well, registration processes. So, well, how many homes are there in Berlin and what size these homes are, whether they are vacant or not, and how much rent they are charging. This is the reason we do not want to establish such a system, well, how many ways high rents are being charged in Berlin? To be able to control this, all landlords will enter the homes they have into such a well, system, and our aim is thus to be able to stop the increase in rents. Hmm >> hmm. I understood. >> Well, so these, well, the points I mentioned have, as I said, been enacted so far. There is also something we call the Melde portal. So in the Melde portal, for example, if you have a high rent, you go there and well, you make a notification, and from that notification, information goes to that rent monitoring agency, and thus, well, a well, formation will occur in the automatic system, and we will try to control this. So we have already put these four points into effect. Well, and let me also mention the fifth point and the most important thing. Now, as the SPD, we had already said this before. Our aim is actually, well, to build 20,000 housing units every year, and of these 20,000, well
5,000 of them to be social housing. For example, in the last two years, the matter we call “general approval” for social housing above 5,000 units has come into effect, and of course, it takes some time to build the housing, but let me put it this way: our goal as the SPD is that, at present, there are close to 400,000 publicly owned apartments in the hands of the public, and we want to raise this to 500,000 over the next five years. The reason is that, in this way, if we have a surplus of publicly owned apartments, we can also control rents differently. >> Okay. Now, Mr. Gazar Bayta, that is, the generation we call guest workers has been part of Berlin’s economic, social, and cultural life for 65 years. Nevertheless, do you think that migrants are still not sufficiently visible in Berlin’s public memory? >> Yes, I think that is correct. Because, if we look at the numbers, I believe that close to one million migrants live in Berlin, and especially when we look at the streets and squares, there is hardly anything belonging to foreigners. You know, even the Alevi Association made an effort for this. The SPD supported this quite a bit. I also supported it. There will now be something called “Alif Dışa Garten” in Crossberg. And I also want, of course, for all migrant groups to have such an opportunity, and I am making that effort. As a member of parliament, and before that as a member of the city council, I have worked on this issue. What I especially want is that, you know, when the first generation came here, they were, so to speak, a great workforce, but the value of people was not recognized. People, so to speak, also worked in bad jobs. I think that their value was not well recognized by either Turkey or Germany. In that regard, when I think of my own mother and father, it somewhat hurts this person’s heart, and that is why, when I was a member of the city council, I submitted a proposal to Crossberg. And I am continuing this now. A budget for this has been allocated in parliament. Currently, the Crossberg district, the Senate Department of Culture, and also the Senate Department dealing with rent and housing are in the process of implementing this. I hope that in the coming years we will see such a monument in Crossberg, but I am still making that effort. Let me put it that way. Mm-hm. So, what you said is correct, of course, in the sense that, when we look at Berlin in reality, they are not very visible in the public sphere. They have a 70-year history, but actually, apart from a few isolated cases, there is nothing proper anywhere. >> So, your work is also important. In particular, you want to create a monument for what we call the first generation of guest workers, probably in a visible area, likely a square, which also serves to present and show us our history. Is there a specific location where you want to place such a monument? >> Many locations are being discussed, but it has not yet been precisely determined. A jury, for example, will be established. And what we especially want is for the first generation to be involved in such a thing. We want their own wishes to be included. Therefore, after we have implemented a preliminary study, it will be determined. If you look at Crossberg, there are several possible locations. Initially, Orani Plat came to mind for me. It is a good place. Because, you know, when we passed by Orani Plat, I remember very well. Especially the first generation used to sit on those benches and talk. And even now, when passing by, it is still like that. So, I mentioned Orani Plat. But, as I said, the important thing is to find a good place. There are also several places in Crossberg. We will now see which one it will be. >> Now, you are a true child of Crossberg. You grew up and lived in the heart of Crossberg, in Naon Inshasy. You have always lived here. You have also witnessed the changes in Crossberg. In your opinion, or what are the most serious complaints and problems regarding the changes in Crossberg?
>> The biggest change or problem right now is, well, the waste problem, the pollution problem, and also, let’s say, the drug problem, or rather the issues that people are troubled by. As the SPD, we have specifically taken on the budget for these two issues and are carrying out work aimed at preventing such things. First of all, regarding drugs, we call it preventive measures, meaning we take precautions before people even start using drugs.
>> Take precautions. Exactly. Exactly. Mm-hmm.
>> Now, we also have a problem here in Germany with the far right. It is a growing problem. The far right, unfortunately, is becoming stronger every day in Berlin, just as it is everywhere else. In this sense, on September 20, the Berliners will not only elect their members of parliament, but will also determine the direction for the coming years. In your opinion, why is this election important, and why must voters definitely go to the polls, taking the far right into account?
>> I hear it a lot. I also hear it from immigrants from time to time. Like, “I will vote for the AfD, I will vote for that.” I just want to suggest one thing. You know, Höcke is a candidate in Thuringia. Let them watch his video. When you watch it, the man says, quite openly, that when I come to power, I will expel the Turks from here. He says that. So, they want to implement what we call remigration. Do they really want that? Therefore, they should really think very carefully about who they will give their vote to. It is also important that they participate in the election. Because I believe we should prevent the AfD together. My thought is that when the AfD comes to power, first of all, they will destroy democracy. Most of the things they say are not true. They are saying wrong things. Let me give you just one example from the parliament. For instance, they brought a proposal regarding publicly owned housing. They wanted all these houses to be given only to Germans, so that there would be no foreigners. So, they bring such proposals, and when you speak there as a foreigner, they shout so loudly that they try to completely prevent you from speaking. I don’t think they have any democratic way of thinking. I believe that everyone who defends democracy should, first of all, participate in the election and vote against the AfD. Also, they need to understand something. Right now, AfD voters are going to the election en masse, but many voters of other democratic parties are not going to the election. And what does this result in? Automatically, especially for immigrants, and they need to realize that this plays into the hands of the AfD. That is, their not going to the election automatically causes the AfD to receive a higher share of the vote. Therefore, they must definitely go to the election and give their votes to a democratic party. I also believe they should go, but unfortunately, really, most immigrants do not cast their vote, and I find that very sad. After all, we live here. We continue our lives here. Therefore, I think it is very important that they vote. They should do that as well.
>> So, why should voters vote for Sevim Aydın on September 20?
>> Well, first of all, I grew up with Crossberg. I live here, and I know the problems of most Crossberg residents, and I try to help Crossberg residents, or all Berliners, as much as I can. Of course, people come to me not only from Crossberg but also across Berlin, but I really try to help, especially those coming from Crossberg, as much as I can. My office is, as you know, in the VASAT center, and I will continue to make efforts for this. I will try to help as much as I can.
>> Dear Sevim Aydın, I wish you and your party success on September 20.
>> Thank you.