Overview
- Campaigning has intensified ahead of the October 12 referendums, with 1.3 million ballots distributed and 288,167 postal voting packets returned by October 2, and polling set for Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- The basic‑income plan would pay 2,000 selected residents about €1,346 per month plus health and long‑term care insurance for 36 months, applies income offsets, caps city costs at roughly €50 million, and would legally require the Senate to implement the trial if approved.
- The initiative behind the basic‑income vote disclosed roughly €680,000 in external funding for signature drives, including money from outside Hamburg and part from the United States, drawing scrutiny from opponents.
- The climate measure would shift Hamburg’s neutrality goal to 2040 with annual CO₂ caps, monitoring and enforcement triggers, while official studies deem the target technically achievable but contingent on sweeping steps such as replacing fossil‑fuel boilers, accelerating retrofits and restricting car traffic, with building‑sector investments estimated above €15 billion.
- A broad alliance of senior politicians, business figures and civic leaders has urged a double No, warning of high costs, social burdens and feasibility limits; all Bürgerschaft groups except Die Linke oppose both measures, though NGOs including Fridays for Future, Nabu and Verdi back the 2040 push.