Hamburg launches groundbreaking referendum: basic income for everyone!

Hamburg launches groundbreaking referendum: basic income for everyone!

The exciting phase of a project that is causing a stir across Germany begins in Hamburg: The Hamburg popular initiative “Hamburg tests basic income” has officially started its campaign for a referendum. The time will come on October 12, 2025 - then Hamburg citizens can make a historic decision about an unconditional basic income. To support this step, preparations are already in full swing and the initiators are distributing posters with appealing slogans such as “I’ll do it for all of us” and “I’ll do it for Hamburg” to mobilize the public. According to NDR, an online campaign is also being planned to drum up publicity.

An exciting undertaking: The initiative, which was founded in 2020, is not only financed by donations, but now has around a dozen full-time employees and hundreds of volunteers who are committed to the campaign. To ensure that everything works in practice, the referendum is not linked to other elections, which entails additional effort. For a successful vote, at least 265,000 votes from Hamburg must be collected.

Model experiment with a broad spectrum

The planned three-year model experiment is ambitious. Around 2,000 participants, from newborns to senior citizens, will receive 1,346 euros per month plus health insurance. The aim of this study is to test the effects of a basic income on the recipients and social coexistence in the city. The selection of participants is random and the projects should be scientifically supported by recognized researchers. The Hamburg tests basic income states that there is still a lack of sufficient knowledge about the social effects of basic income.

Financing such a model is a hot topic. Opinions vary widely as to how an unconditional basic income could even be financed. Economists like Philip Kovce argue that savings in existing social benefits could be enough, while critics like philosopher Richard David Precht point to the need for a financial transaction tax. Recent surveys show that popular support for a UBI varies between 45 and 58 percent, which is fueling the debate even further. According to experts, the actual implementation could be more complex than hoped - there are also fears that a basic income could reduce incentives to work. This is also emphasized in an analysis by the Federal Agency for Civic Education, which deals with the different approaches to financing the model.

The political reactions to this project are divided. While the Left supports the project, the SPD, CDU and Greens see it as a socially unjust and economically unsustainable idea. The AfD even goes so far as to describe the project as “planless”. Despite this resistance, there is great anticipation for the referendum and it will be exciting to see how the people of Hamburg will decide on October 12th. The ability to vote by post or at polling stations will ensure that as many citizens as possible can cast their vote.