Overview
- Friday's Allensbach poll, reported in the FAZ and carried by major outlets, found only 31 percent of respondents still call Berlin a "fascinating metropolis."
- The same survey of 1,039 people interviewed Aug. 1–13 recorded 36 percent saying Berlin is a "capital without charisma" and 46 percent naming it as a city they definitely would not want to live in.
- On measures of special appeal Berlin ranks third at 34 percent behind Hamburg (48 percent) and Munich (47 percent), and it is third for where people would most like to live with 13 percent.
- Journalists link the drop to long-term shifts since the "arm but sexy" era — big inflows of workers, sharply rising rents, gentrification and pressure on clubs and cultural venues — changes that have altered daily life for many residents.
- The poll revives debate about housing, cultural preservation and city branding and could shape policy discussions about rent, urban planning and support for Berlin's creative scene.