News from Berlin
Asking rents in Berlin almost 70% higher than a decade ago
Rents in Berlin have risen particularly sharply in the past ten years – despite rent control. According to the German government, asking rents in the capital are now on average 69% percent higher than in 2016. Nationwide, the increase is around 43%. This information comes from the German government’s response to an inquiry from the Left Party MP Caren Lay. According to the Ministry of Construction, the figures are based on online listings in 14 major cities. The average base rent per square meter in Berlin has climbed from €9.02 to €15.25. The highest advertised rents were in Munich: At €21.29 per square meter. Source: rbb
Easter March participants demonstrate against wars and conscription
In Berlin and in Brandenburg demonstrators took to the streets for peace at Easter marches as early as Saturday. In the German capital, a peace demonstration marched through Prenzlauer Berg. A police spokesperson told “rbb” that approximately 1,600 people participated, but organizers estimated the number at several thousand. The Berlin Peace Coordination (FriKo) had called for the demonstration. The demonstrators called for an end to the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, many carrying Palestinian and Iranian flags. The demonstrators also spoke out against the reintroduction of conscription. During the weekend, there also were demonstrations in Brandenburg an der Havel, Strausberg and Frankfurt (Oder), among others. Source: rbb
Fact check on the Traffic Referendum
More than 20,000 signatures have been collected so far for the “Car-Free Berlin” referendum (https://verkehrsentscheid.de/). Around 174,000 valid signatures are needed by May 8, 2026, for the referendum to be successful. But what would the law mean for residents? For instance, as of December 31, 2025, nearly 30% of Berlin’s residents live in “Living oriented” (LOR) planning areas that lie entirely or partially within the S-Bahn ring, the areas which are proposed to go “car free”. This means that almost one in three Berliners would be affected by the initiative’s planned measures. Also, a central argument of the initiative is safety. In 2024, the Berlin police recorded a total of 133,370 road traffic accidents. The majority of those injured (2,627) were in the district of Mitte. Source: Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg
IG Metall to take Tesla to court
IG Metall claims Tesla management threatened staff would lose their jobs if they voted for union representatives in works council elections in early March. More than 10,000 employees voted in the election, an 87% turnout, down 6% compared to the 2024 works council election. IG Metall needed 19 of the 37 works council seats to maintain a majority but secured only 16. In mid-February, Tesla called the police, claiming that an IG Metall representative had illegally recorded a works council meeting. Police took the representative’s laptop. The representative has since filed a defamation claim against the Grünheide plant manager, and accused the company of a “brazen and calculated lie”. Source: iamexpat
News from Germany
Police to automatically receive data on trans people – those affected are fighting back
Concerns are growing within the trans community in Baden-Württemberg regarding regulations on data storage and potential security gaps. The reason is the registration ordinance of the Ministry of the Interior. The Self-Determination Act, introduced in 2024, makes it easier for trans, intersex, and non-binary people to change their first name and gender marker. There is a prohibition on disclosure, protecting against the unwanted publication of previous entries. According to the queer community, this is precisely what is jeopardized by the registration ordinance. This is to apply regardless of whether there are any outstanding charges against the individuals concerned. Data sharing is scheduled to begin on November 1, 2026. Source: tagesschau
Germany planning a reform on healthcare cuts – what this means for you?
Germany’s statutory health insurance system is expected to run a 10 billion euro annual deficit from 2027 onwards unless something changes. The CDU/CSU-SPD coalition government believes the solution lies in tightening the purse strings. Around 90% of people in Germany are covered by statutory health insurance. What would the prospective changes mean for those? Among the issues, there might be, for instance, the end of non-contributory dependents insurance; higher co-payments, covering eventually costs such as prescriptions, and stays in hospital; and scraping some services as certain orthodontic treatments. Criticism of those proposals has already been widespread, including from health insurance providers. Source: iamexpat
German men need military permit for prolonged stays abroad
A new military service law took effect in Germany in 2026, aimed at boosting the armed forces amid threats to European security. The legislation was contentious and many people even took to the streets to protest against it. But another provision in the law has so far gone largely unnoticed: it relates to a requirement for men between the ages of 18 and 45 to “obtain an approval from the relevant Bundeswehr Career Center if they wish to leave the Federal Republic of Germany for more than three months.” Acknowledging the “extreme” impact of the amended conscription law, the Defense Ministry said it is working on new rules for exceptions to the exit permit requirement. Source: dw
The “Ulm 5” and a question of Justice
“Ulm 5” is a group of activists currently in pretrial detention, and they are accused of breaking into an Elbit Systems weapons factory in Ulm. The trial against philosophy student David, queer activist V., and the three other defendants begins on April 27 in Stuttgart. V.’s partner, Josie, as well as Daniel’s mother and sister, share their perspectives in the interview. All five defendants face the same charges, including property damage and alleged membership in a criminal organization. The break-in at the factory is presented in the context of protests against the genocide in Gaza. The interviewees criticize the increasing restrictions on opportunities for protest in Germany and the repressive treatment of pro-Palestinian activism. Source: jungewelt
Hundreds of people demonstrate against right-wing extremism in Friedrichshain
Around 500 people demonstrated against right-wing extremism in Berlin-Friedrichshain on Easter Sunday. Participants carried banners with slogans such as “Stand up to Nazis” and “If you attack one, we’ll all respond.” As the police confirmed to “rbb” upon inquiry, the event remained largely peaceful. The protest was prompted by the attack on two 19-year-olds on Jessnerstrasse ten days earlier. The attackers allegedly injured and beat their victims with a machete on the head. As the two unknown assailants fled, they reportedly shouted the unconstitutional slogan “Sieg Heil,” according to witnesses. The State Security Police have taken over the investigation. Source: rbb
