Hamburg votes: climate neutrality or basic income – what now?

Hamburg votes: climate neutrality or basic income – what now?

Next Sunday, October 12, 2025, the citizens of Hamburg are called upon to vote on two important referendums: the “Hamburg Future Decision” on climate neutrality and the “Hamburg tests basic income” project. Around 1.3 million eligible voters will have the opportunity to cast their votes, and voting will take place at 185 locations across the city from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone who wants to know how it turned out can follow the vote counting live on the Statistics Office North results portal, while the first reassuring results are awaited.

The first referendum aims to make Hamburg climate neutral by 2040, five years earlier than is currently set by law. The bill includes mandatory annual caps on carbon dioxide emissions and a significant reduction in car traffic. The initiative is supported by a diverse mix of environmental and social associations, including Fridays for Future, Nabu and the Hamburg Tenants Association. Their demands include, among other things, a nationwide speed limit of 30 and the complete electrification of transport. NDR reports that a report certifies the feasibility of the measures, but warns against the necessary drastic steps.

Division in politics

The political reaction to the “decision for the future” is divided. A broad alliance, which includes representatives of the SPD, CDU, FDP and trade unions, has called for a “no” vote. The world highlights that SAGA, the largest municipal housing company in Germany, fears additional costs of 1.5 billion euros as a result of bringing forward the climate targets, which could have a negative impact on rents. The introduction of a speed limit of 30 km/h is also viewed critically, as this could worsen the fire brigade's response times and thus endanger the safety of citizens.

On the other hand, the state Green Party supports the referendum, although some members of the citizenry are critical of this measure. Mayor Peter Tschentscher did not sign the election call, and the second mayor, Katharina Fegebank, is also skeptical about the initiatives.

Unconditional basic income in Hamburg

The second referendum deals with the “Hamburg tests basic income” model project, which is intended to provide around 2,000 Hamburg residents with around 1,350 euros per month plus health insurance over three years. The idea behind it is to research the social and economic effects of an unconditional basic income under real conditions. A similar pilot project has already taken place in Finland and the Netherlands.

The expected price for the city is estimated at around 50 million euros, should the project start in 2027. Despite the expected positive effects on quality of life, critics warn that such a project could be perceived as sending the wrong signal in times of a shortage of skilled workers.

An important rule applies to both referendums: They are only successful if at least 20 percent of those eligible to vote agree and the number of yes votes exceeds the number of no votes. By Friday, 442,517 citizens, which corresponds to 33.6 percent of those eligible to vote, had already taken part in the postal vote. So the pressure is high and the coming days are crucial for the city's future.

Sunday will not only decide on the transparent climate protection policy, but also on the financial security of the citizens of Hamburg. An exciting weekend is ahead, and the hope for an environmentally friendly and socially just future hangs in the balance.