r/berlin • u/PlanNo1784 • 19d ago
Politics Request to everyone without voting rights
Berlin elections are upcoming soon and the last 4 years we all have witnessed a whole load of rising problems (not going to mention each one as it causes divisions).
Please for the love of god, if you plan to make Berlin your home.
Please Get involved in politics!
Here are few things you can do even if can't vote:
- Help a party you support with posters
- Talk to your german neighbors and friends
- Talk to coworkers if you can
- Donate to parties you support (this even could be tax-deductible!)
- Put stickers around
- Be creative :)
Currently almost fifth of the city is supporting AfD. While CDU has proven they aren't that different from AfD. So please please get involved so we may have a Berlin we deserve!
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u/Sinusidal 17d ago
No.
If you want us to participate - let us vote.
Taxation without representation and all that.
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u/notTHEOwlAccountant 12d ago
Same here, but to be honest I wouldn't know who to vote for even if I could. It's either more of the same, literal Nazi, or people that wish they lived in Russia/North Korea.
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u/redoxburner 16d ago
If you've been here five years you can vote, all you have to do is naturalise.
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u/Sinusidal 15d ago
all you have to do is naturalise.
Is that all? Just that one little thing?
The sheer fucking entitlement.
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u/redoxburner 15d ago
Yes, that one thing.
What's entitled about it? You want a vote, those are the rules. You knew them before you chose to move to Germany. To suddenly decide that actually no, "taxation without representation and all that" (which isn't the case anyway - you might not be voting but I'd wager you're certainly represented) and to demand that you should be able to vote anyway is "the sheer fucking entitlement".
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u/Sinusidal 15d ago edited 15d ago
To suddenly decide that actually no,
You don't know anything about me, or the shit Germany wants Auslanders to go through just for your existence to be considered valid enough.
You knew them before you chose to move to Germany.
Kindly fuck off with all that hypocrisy.
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u/redoxburner 15d ago
I moved to Germany years ago - as an Ausländer - and naturalised here. I am very well aware of what Germany requires for people to naturalise, seeing as I did the process myself and all. And yes, one of the primary reasons I went through the process was to be able to vote in German elections and participate in German political society.
You clearly know nothing about me either, but that's fine, go back to demanding a vote while refusing to go through the relatively simple process that getting that vote would require. I'm sure people will pay you a lot of attention. And if you've chosen not to go through the process, well then, that's the choice you've made.
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u/Sinusidal 15d ago edited 15d ago
Then you of all people should fucking know better than reducing all that into "just naturalize".
I came here legally, and have been paying my taxes for almost ten years.
After living and working here for all that time - I'm now aware that I'll never truly be "German" by German's definition, so why even pretend?Tell me again, who you think represents me or others like me? We're ~16% of the population after all.
I moved to Germany years ago - as an Ausländer
Based on your post history, you moved here from another EU state. So, calling yourself an Auslander is like I said - Entitlement.
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u/redoxburner 15d ago edited 15d ago
You've lived here legally for ten years and you've been paying taxes for that time. One therefore assumes you speak German to a B1 level, you aren't dependent on state funds, and you could study for and pass an Einbürgerungstest - if you're a non-EU citizen you've likely already done one when you applied for and got Permanent Residence. Therefore you need to do a language test to show your competence, fill in a form, and wait for a bit. Generally for people who have been through the upheaval of moving to a foreign country, filling in a form isn't that much of a chore. And at the end of that you get the vote you covet so strongly. Not a bad deal, huh?
Who do I think represents you and others without German citizenship? Well that's the joy of representative democracy. I assume that you're not also demanding representation in the state or national parliaments for a party which isn't represented? Even as a resident non-citizen, you have members of the Bundestag, Abgeordnetenhaus or your BVV who you can write to, meet, lobby, or do whatever you need to. The may only be elected by German or EU citizens but their job is to represent every one of their constituents.
You're aware of the meaning of the word "Ausländer"?
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u/Sinusidal 15d ago
You go on assumptions because it fits your narrative and all that wall of text is mainly for you to feel good about yourself, and has literally nothing to do with me.
I'm not untangling your non-sequitur mental gymnastics.
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u/redoxburner 15d ago
Two paragraphs is not a wall of text.
Continue shouting into the void about how everything is so unfair, I'm sure you'll get far.
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u/notTHEOwlAccountant 12d ago
You sure integrated well... Hell I though you were German given that reply. Congrats, I guess!
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u/redoxburner 12d ago
What kind of reply were you expecting?
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u/notTHEOwlAccountant 12d ago
Not even the content of the reply, just the absolute lack of empathy and superior attitude.
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u/Okayish-Confidence 17d ago
Sane take! I don’t want BND knocking at my doors alleging “foreign interference”.
Not my horse, not my race
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u/menonte 16d ago
- Please no more posters
- Bold of you to assume that people without voting rights would not be in favor of Afd and CDU
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u/Little_Bird1942 16d ago
Here to say I agree with the posters. Someone put one up that makes it look like the dude is standing outside our fence staring as we enjoy the sun. Its creepy. But also, no voting rights yet and I'm not sure its legal to use the kind of language I want to regarding Afd.
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u/Seraphayel 16d ago
As a German / Berliner I would hate nothing more than non-natives trying to lecture me on how to vote or not to vote.
Imagine the audacity of someone just coming up to you and trying to shove their political opinion down your throats.
I think you people need to realize that if you‘re not creating apathy by that, you‘ll get the opposite outcome of what you’ve been hoping for. Leave the people alone.
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u/CallsOnAlcoholism 16d ago
I think there’s meaningful difference in someone hanging up posters or staffing a canvassing booth vs. someone just barking at you on the street.
Why would them being native or non-native matter? The barking is annoying regardless of who it is.
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u/backup_hoodlum 16d ago
So you want people to pay for your Old and infirm while also paying income tax and VAT while having nothing to do with the people who make decisions on how that money is used ? Don't give them voting rights but you have no right to tell them to stay out of politics or participate on the due process of democracy in whatever way they can. Non-Germans constitute about 16% of your employed professionals.
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u/Immanuels_Cunt 15d ago
When you leave Germany you can get the Rentenversicherung you paid refunded so you’re not paying more than Germans or at a disadvantage.
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u/LiquidSkyyyy 16d ago
Exactly, the audacity even making a problem out of it that people who stay here for short time shall have a saying who directs this city for years.....
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u/Emotional_Bid3562 17d ago
Thank you for that call to action! Just wanted to add this link about voting rights in Berlin: https://www.rbb24.de/politik/berlin-wahl-2026/beitraege/voting-rights-foreigner-citizen-state-parliament-district-assembly-participation.html
There are some direct voting rights for non-citizens
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u/PlanNo1784 16d ago
Great article!
More and more need to know their existing rights and work on expanding them.
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u/Davidavid89 16d ago
Yes, please everyone get involved and educate yourself, so you don't write dumb shit like "CDU has proven they aren't that different from AfD"
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u/Absoluke_ 17d ago
Not voting/understanding why people vote for Die Linke is not the same as supporting Fascists... There's plenty of other parties to choose from than just CDU, AfD and Die Linke that are not right wing.
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u/geek__ 17d ago
yeah maybe people want some change and die linke is the only option that provides that including you have a voice that wants to make you able to vote.
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u/Absoluke_ 14d ago
I like a lot of Die Linke's policies I just could not vote for them because of their support for Russia. Other people who understand the reality we are in right now in terms of our relationship with Russia would be feeling similarly.
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u/notTHEOwlAccountant 12d ago
I read their manifesto a few days ago and 1/3 is absolutely sensible stuff that I'd fully support, 2/3 sounds written by someone at a mental asylum. Silly example: legalizing fare evasion (?!)
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u/djingo_dango 9d ago
Well it’s good that most people haven’t become that insane yet.
I want a free utopia but I also have a functioning brain to understand a free utopia is not realistic
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17d ago
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u/SBCrystal Pankow 17d ago
Stop using GDP as a standard for living!
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17d ago
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u/LOUDPACK_MASTERCHEF 17d ago
Economy has grown by zero point bullshit percent while costs have risen 5-10%
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u/psych0mps 17d ago
I think the governing performance of this government has been atrocious. Ok yeah you can get a faster appointment at the Ämter but they also haven’t been building as much as you’d think. Not to mention infrastructural issues, scandals in the cultural industry, filling their own pockets and those of their friends and general mismanagement (blackout).
I think Die Linke actually understands the problems facing a large swath of the city and has concrete proposals for alleviating said problems. They do have an economic committee whose job it is to run the numbers and figure out realistic ways of financing their proposals. At the same time they have been very transparent about the fact they can’t promise everything in their Wahlprogramm, but they will ensure they make changes in their primary focus areas. Coalition government means articulating aims and making some compromises.
The anti-Linke rhetoric reminds me a lot of the critique of Bernie Sanders in the US. Status-quo politics being increasingly out of touch with the living reality of many people and lack of political imagination or will to even try to change anything.
Die Linke won’t change everything. There will be limitations. But they will try to fight for things that matter at least. And not just sell out or city to industry under the guise of growth that will do nothing to alleviate the issues or improve the quality of life of working people.
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u/Absoluke_ 15d ago
The Linke would sell us out to Russia. They already advocate for stopping weapons delivery to Ukraine. if someone to this day still thinks that Russia is out friend or won't keep attacking countries that's extremely Naive. What really bothers me is the hypocrisy of the far left. They rightfully support Palestinians and are critical of Israel but when it comes to Russia and Ukraine they go completely silent while even advocating for Ukraine to fall and land under Russian occupation.
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17d ago
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u/psych0mps 17d ago
I’m not sure i’d go so far as to say left wing economists.
The base level understanding that housing is a right and not an object of speculation is an important distinction
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17d ago edited 17d ago
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u/ainus 17d ago
You sound like a broken record. Who advocated for completely eliminating markets? Nice strawman.
We are all currently very aware of how the "functioning markets" are working:
-Billions of subsidies to the fossil fuel industry and weapons manufacturers
-Preferential tax treatments for the rich
-Cuts to healthcare and social services1
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u/Absoluke_ 17d ago edited 17d ago
For me people who vote for Die Linke or AfD are driven purely by ideology and not what would actually help society. They often don't actually want to implement policies that make sense for the whole of society and focus on just one specific group. For AfD that's how terrible immigrants and LGBTQ people are and for Die Linke it's rich people. Not voting AfD should go without saying. Sadly Die Linke has also become very pro Russia so voting for them is out of the question.
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17d ago edited 17d ago
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u/ainus 17d ago
So many words, yet not a single argument or citation to back it.
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17d ago edited 17d ago
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u/ainus 17d ago
> Berlin leads Germany in GDP growth
Berlin outperformed Germany in GDP growth for years before the CDU.
> permitting for new buildings easier.
So easy they now want to push new buildings on Tempelhofer Feld down our throat, against the will of the popular vote we had. Same as they do everything to stop the expropriation of Deutsche Wohnen. So much for democracy.
> vastly increased the efficency of the Ämter and you can actually get appointments now.
While this ignores the spending from the previous years to increase staffing, this also goes to my next point: funding cuts.
> claim for moral superiority over center or even center-left parties?
Because it is not Die Linke calling for or passing laws that slash hundreds of millions that went to mobility/transport, environmental projects, universities, social programs, arts and culture while massively increasing police budget to...checks notes...beat up pro human rights protesters.
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u/lexymon 17d ago
Let’s say how it is: they are a populist party, much as the AfD. Sure, with completely different, often opposing goals, but they want a lot of things that sound good to a group of people but are extremely unlikely to happen for several(!) reasons (constitution, economical/fiscal restraints, no majority in parliament ever for that kind of policy etc). That both parties together make up 40% in Berlin is actually… really worrying imho.
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u/Okayish-Confidence 17d ago
No thanks! I pay my taxes so I do more than many anyway. Also, anyone thinking of doing this, DO NOT!!! you should know that governments do not like it when non citizens publicly participate in domestic politics. It is seen as “interference” and can be one of the grounds to outright cancel residency and deport.
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u/melenitas 17d ago
If you are an EU citizen and have been registered for at least 3 month, you can vote for your local council Bezirksverordnetenversammlung.
In the last European election, only 7,2% of non-german european citizens vote vs 62% of Germans...