CDU lead candidate Evers wants peripheral development at Tempelhofer Feld without new referendum

The Tempelhofer Feld is considered the largest undeveloped open space in the middle of the densely built-up capital and covers around 200 hectares. Evers emphasizes that the green heart of the area does not need to be touched for the peripheral development. He sees the project as a response to Berlin's pressing housing shortage. "Die Menschen spüren doch, dass die Wohnungsnot ein Problem ist, das uns alle betrifft", the CDU politician said.

The Tempelhofer Feld: 200 hectares in the middle of the city

Evers links the issue directly to the election campaign: In his view, the upcoming House of Representatives election itself should become the decisive vote on the peripheral development. "Die anstehende Wahl soll den Ausschlag geben." He also pointed to the upcoming ballot: "Außerdem stehen wir kurz vor einer Wahl. Eine größere Volksentscheidung gibt es nicht."

The background is a referendum from 2014, in which a majority of Berliners had voted against development of the Tempelhofer Feld. Evers does not set aside this decision, but points to the time gap and the changed situation: "Der Volksentscheid liegt zwölf Jahre zurück, damals war die Not lange nicht so groß wie heute." He uses this to justify why, in his view, a new consultation is not necessary.

Conflict with the Greens and the Left

Politically, the project is controversial. While the CDU under Evers is campaigning for the peripheral development, the Greens and the Left reject this project. A central line of conflict for the Berlin election campaign is thus emerging, one that is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.

Background: Change at the top of the CDU

Evers succeeds Kai Wegner at the head of the Berlin CDU. Wegner, who holds the office of Governing Mayor of Berlin, had announced his withdrawal as lead candidate the previous week. Among the reasons cited were contradictory and false statements about his own crisis management during a power outage in January.

With the change at the top of the CDU, Evers directly links the Tempelhofer Feld to his campaign. He makes Berlin's largest inner-city open space an election issue and thus positions his party in contrast to the Greens and the Left, who want to defend the preservation of the area in its current form.

It remains unclear how Evers intends to push through peripheral development in parliament if the CDU wins the election in September. It is also unclear whether the opposition in the House of Representatives would agree to such a project or whether there could be another referendum. Observers see the move as a programmatic directional decision by the Berlin CDU on housing policy.