Hamburg decides: 2040 climate goals and basic income in danger!

Hamburg decides: 2040 climate goals and basic income in danger!

There are two exciting referendums on the agenda in Hamburg today: Citizens are called upon to vote on bringing forward climate neutrality from 2045 to 2040 and on a model experiment for an unconditional basic income. The result could have far-reaching effects on future politics in the Hanseatic city. This reports stern.de.

Voting begins today at 8 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. in 185 different voting locations. Around 1.3 million Hamburg residents who are eligible to vote have the opportunity to cast their vote. As of Friday, 442,517 citizens had already taken part in the process by postal vote, which corresponds to 33.6% of those eligible to vote. For a successful outcome, at least 20 percent of the votes are required, i.e. at least 262,609 yes votes, and more yes votes than no votes.

The projects in detail

The first referendum, the Hamburg Future Decision, is about achieving climate neutrality by 2040. Initiatives such as Fridays for Future and the Verdi union support this step. The demands are ambitious: The aim is, among other things, a 30 km/h speed limit, the early switching off of oil and gas heating systems and complete electrification of transport. In comparison, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Bremen have similar goals, but with a later time frame.

The second referendum is about the unconditional basic income. 2,000 Hamburg residents will receive 1,346 euros a month for three years as well as health insurance. This approach is supported by various organizations, but also has critical voices that see it as a departure from the performance principle. The Hamburg Economic Council warns of possible financial overstretch and describes the votes as “priceless symbolic politics”.

Political stance and resistance

The political landscape in Hamburg is divided regarding these referendums. While the Left is fully behind Hamburg's decision on the future, the Greens are internally divided. The FDP and the Chamber of Commerce reject the proposals, while organizations such as NABU Hamburg and Fridays for Future support the initiatives. The red-green Senate, however, is critical and does not support either proposal.

The initiators of both proposals have collected over 100,000 signatures to get these referendums off the ground. This is the first time since the 2015 Olympic preparations that Hamburg citizens have been able to vote on such important issues. In addition, the basic income project will be scientifically monitored in order to analyze its influence on the lives of the participants as Wikipedia reports.

As for the future of Hamburg, it remains to be seen how the citizens will decide. The outcome of these referendums could significantly determine whether Hamburg sets out to become a greener city and a fairer social system or whether the current policy will continue without fundamental changes. Experts warn that the decisions could also have a direct impact on the economy and living standards, further increasing tensions in the discussion so does the world.