Overview
- The Greens’ parliamentary leadership released the proposal on Monday as a direct response to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s remarks, criticizing his rhetoric and outlining five priority areas for safer, more livable cities.
- The paper attributes deteriorating urban conditions to local budget stress, citing a €25 billion municipal deficit and a large investment backlog, and calls for federal debt relief plus permanent additional funds via value-added tax.
- It seeks stronger capacity for police and justice and urges more Federal Police at train stations, faulting Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt for diverting personnel to what the Greens call pointless and unlawful border checks.
- Prevention measures include expanded child and youth services, universal free school lunches with federal support, more outreach for homeless and addicted people, and supervised consumption spaces to reduce open drug use.
- The plan proposes better protection for women through improved lighting and targeted policing, support for criminalizing catcalling, more shelter places to address a 14,000-bed shortfall, and housing steps to curb speculation, fight vacancy, improve housing benefits, and protect small businesses through a commercial rent framework.