Berlin CDU Presents Election Program: Expansion of U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and Maglev at BER

Specifically, the Berlin CDU plans to extend the U2 beyond Pankow Kirche to Französisch Buchholz and Buch, to route the U8 to Märkisches Viertel, and to expand the U7 to both BER Airport and Heerstraße Nord. In addition, the S75 is to be extended from Wartenberg via Malchow to Birkenwerder, and the S5 to Nauen.

Furthermore, the party proposes to expand the S21, which has so far only been used in parts, into a second north-south S-Bahn as a "City-S-Bahn," which would run from the Nordring via Hauptbahnhof and Potsdamer Platz to Yorckstraße. "We want to extend the U2 beyond Pankow Kirche to Französisch Buchholz and Buch, the U3 to Mexikoplatz (...), the U8 to Märkisches Viertel, and the U7 to BER Airport and Heerstraße Nord," the program states verbatim.

Maglev Train at BER: Dispute with the SPD

For the development of the BER airport site and adjacent residential areas, the CDU wants to have the use of a magnetic levitation train (Maglev) examined. The project is controversial within the coalition: According to previous statements, the SPD has rejected the proposal. However, possible route alignments have been discussed in Berlin for a longer time.

Integration with the surrounding areas also plays a prominent role in the election program. According to the CDU's wishes, the centers of Brandenburg – Brandenburg/Havel, Cottbus, Frankfurt/Oder, and Potsdam – are to be linked more closely and better with Berlin. The semester ticket is also to be extended to the entire state of Brandenburg to open up more mobile options for students.

Education Policy: Preschool, Behavior Grades, Civil Servant Status

In education policy, the CDU under Wegner announces a break with the previous line. The reintroduction of preschool, which was abolished in Berlin years ago, is planned. With this, the party wants to focus on early language and skills development for children before they start school.

In addition, so-called "Kopfnoten" (behavioral grades) – grades for behavior and participation – are to be reintroduced on report cards. Teachers should be able to be reappointed as civil servants in the future, and the Gymnasium as an academic educational path should be explicitly preserved and strengthened according to the CDU's wishes.

Contrast to the Coalition: City Center, Rents, Video Surveillance

With regard to the city center, the party also plans increased video surveillance of public spaces and stronger peripheral development against rising rents, according to the Tagesspiegel newsletter "Checkpoint." Both points are among the friction issues with which the CDU is also distancing itself from its Green coalition partner in terms of content.

Overall, the program sees itself as a contrasting draft to the previous government practice: while the SPD focuses on more social spending and the Greens on ecological urban development, the CDU wants to score points with classic themes such as internal security, infrastructure, and academic performance. In the coming weeks, the election campaign is likely to gain in intensity in terms of content.

It remains to be seen to what extent the major projects outlined in the election program – from the U-Bahn expansion to the magnetic levitation train – are actually financeable. The mentioned route extensions would require billions in investment, which would have to be negotiated between Berlin and the federal government, as well as the state of Brandenburg.