The German leftit group, Die Linke, has demanded a countrywide freeze on housing rents during the COVID-19 crisis. On May 15, activists of Die Linke protested outside the incumbent Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party’s headquarters in Berlin. They said the CDU’s pro-real estate approach was a major hindrance for the coalition government to declare a rent freeze in the country.
Die Linke stated after the protest, “The rent cover is an excellent remedy for high rents. If the CDU had the interests of the tenants in mind, it would not seek legal loopholes but would work with us to clear up any uncertainties. It values the interests of real estate companies higher than those of people. That is why we protested today in front of the CDU party headquarters in Berlin.”
On May 14, while addressing the German federal parliament, Die Linke MP Caren Lay had said, “Many tenants don’t know how they will be able to pay their rent. 74 percent of people are afraid of losing their apartment. That’s why the Corona crisis plan has to apply right now: All housing dismissals are prohibited. The housing allowance has to be extended, the cover simplified and the rent must not be increased.”
CDU, the party of German chancellor Anglea Merkel, leads the governing coalition in the country. According to reports, CDU and the Christian Social Union (CSU) are not in support of a nationwide rental cover. The CDU also legally challenged the rent freezing bill pushed by the Berlin State parliament, led by the Social Democrat – Die Linke – Green coalition (Red-Red-Green alliance), on January 30. The bill called for freezing house rents in the city at current rates till 2025.