Berlin to get first conservative mayor in 20 years
Berlin is set to get its first conservative mayor in more than two decades after the city's Christian Democrats (CDU)
presented a coalition agreement with the Social Democrats (SPD) on Monday.
The conservatives topped the polls in a rerun election in February after the chaotic initial vote in 2021 was found not to meet basic procedural standards.
The original election had installed a coalition between Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD, the Greens and the far left, but the rerun tipped the balance towards the conservatives.
They then took up negotiations with the SPD, the second-biggest party.
"The best for Berlin -- this will be our motto," the mayor-in-waiting, local CDU leader Kai Wegner, said at a press conference presenting the agreement.
READ ALSO: Court orders re-run of chaotic 2021 Berlin election
The Social Democrats recorded their worst post-war result in the capital in the February election, scraping second place a mere 53 votes ahead of the Greens.
The result spelt the end for the unhappy left-wing coalition led by SPD mayor Franziska Giffey.
Home building and affordable living will be among the priorities for the new coalition as rental prices in the capital have soared.
"Nobody here wants situations like in London and Paris," where housing costs are very elevated, local Social Democrat party co-chair Raed Saleh said at the press conference.
READ ALSO: Berlin rental prices rose by 'almost a third' in three months
Members from both parties will have to approve the deal before the new coalition can take office.
The original 2021 vote on the same day as national elections and the Berlin marathon was marred by mishaps including huge queues and some polling stations running out of ballots.
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The conservatives topped the polls in a rerun election in February after the chaotic initial vote in 2021 was found not to meet basic procedural standards.
The original election had installed a coalition between Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD, the Greens and the far left, but the rerun tipped the balance towards the conservatives.
They then took up negotiations with the SPD, the second-biggest party.
"The best for Berlin -- this will be our motto," the mayor-in-waiting, local CDU leader Kai Wegner, said at a press conference presenting the agreement.
READ ALSO: Court orders re-run of chaotic 2021 Berlin election
The Social Democrats recorded their worst post-war result in the capital in the February election, scraping second place a mere 53 votes ahead of the Greens.
The result spelt the end for the unhappy left-wing coalition led by SPD mayor Franziska Giffey.
Home building and affordable living will be among the priorities for the new coalition as rental prices in the capital have soared.
"Nobody here wants situations like in London and Paris," where housing costs are very elevated, local Social Democrat party co-chair Raed Saleh said at the press conference.
READ ALSO: Berlin rental prices rose by 'almost a third' in three months
Members from both parties will have to approve the deal before the new coalition can take office.
The original 2021 vote on the same day as national elections and the Berlin marathon was marred by mishaps including huge queues and some polling stations running out of ballots.
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