Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey (C), State Secretary for Digitalization and Administrative Modernization Ralf Kleindiek (L) and Senator for Interior, Digitalization and Sport Iris Spranger talk during a press conference after the Senate meeting of Berlin. Lena Lachnit/dpaA citizens’ initiative to advance Berlin’s climate neutrality goal to 2030 has since 2045 reached the minimum number of signatures needed for a referendum.
The initiative, dubbed “Klimaneustart” (Climate Restart), has reached a quorum of 171,000 valid signatures, City Interior Senator Iris Spranger announced Tuesday after the Senate meeting.
The Senate has not yet set a date for the referendum.
The initiative calls for the referendum to be held on February 12, the day on which the elections for the Berlin House of Representatives and the district parliaments will be repeated.
However, the administration does not consider a merger of the two dates feasible. Spranger justified it Tuesday with legal obligations and organizational problems.
A total of about 254,000 signatures had been submitted by the end of the four-month collection period in mid-November, according to the state’s election administration. The district offices have verified its validity.
To hold such a referendum, at least 7% of those entitled to vote for the House of Representatives must have signed up on the signature lists, or about 171,000 people.
Nationally, Germany aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2045.
Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey (R) and State Secretary for Digitization and Administrative Modernization Ralf Kleindiek speak during a press conference after the Berlin Senate meeting. Lena Lachnit/dpa
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