"I've been searching for an apartment for seven years now. Housing is a basic human right".
Elif Eralp
Spitzenkandidatin (Die Linke)
Foto: @aanufriev
Dima Vachedin speaks with Elif Eralp (Die Linke), a candidate for Mayor of Berlin.
GENAU and WIR.DE are presenting an interview series with leading candidates from parties contesting the Berlin election. We contacted all parties with a chance of entering the Berlin House of Representatives, including the AfD. GENAU editor-in-chief Dima Vachedin spoke with those who responded. This is the third interview in the series. The original interview was published in Russian; this is the translation.
Dima Vachedin:
Vergesellschaftung — socialization, a difficult German word — of housing corporations. What's it for?
Elif Eralp:
Well, almost 60 percent of Berliners voted in favor of the socialization project. So we think it's a democratic mandate — for the current government, but also for any future one. What's it for? About 220,000 apartments that are currently in the hands of large real estate corporations — like Vonovia, Heimstaden, Deutsche Wohnen — would be transferred to a public-law institution, meaning they'd become public property. That serves the purpose of being able to regulate rents, which we can't currently do with private owners. This takes these apartments out of speculation and out of the possibility of profiting from the housing shortage. Apartments get bought, renovated, and then rents get doubled or tripled. In some cases we have cold rents of up to 25 euros per square meter in this city, which nobody can afford anymore. That's why we say: housing is a human right. And we want to take that right out of the hands of speculation.
Dima Vachedin:
How serious are you about this? Is it a condition for forming a coalition with you?
Elif Eralp:
In a coalition agreement, we need to agree to pull every lever to make Berlin affordable again. The biggest problem is rents that are too high. So yes, it's a central element for us. But not the only one.
Dima Vachedin:
The referendum was five years ago. Do you think the mood among Berliners hasn't changed since then?
Elif Eralp:
In fact, Vonovia itself — the real estate corporation where we uncovered mass illegal rent increases — commissioned a study and found that over 56 percent of Berliners still support socialization. And that's also what I hear on the street. People support this.
Dima Vachedin:
We're a Russian-language magazine, and many of our readers only came to the city after the war began. Berlin does have some mechanisms to keep rents at a certain level. But those who've moved here recently don't fall under this system — they pay 2,000, 3,000 euros for an apartment. From their perspective, that's unfair, and it would be fair if everyone had the same chances.
Elif Eralp:
That's a huge problem. I keep hearing that people seeking refuge here specifically get cheated. People pay 1,000 euros for a badly furnished room. That's actually already illegal. But some exploit people's helplessness and desperation. Current tenancy law mostly helps those who already live in their apartments. But we also want to help people who move here from other countries, or people who have children and need a bigger apartment. That's why we fought for a rent cap, but the Constitutional Court ruled that we in Berlin exceeded our authority. So now we at least want our Secure Housing Law, which forces private owners to offer every third apartment at an affordable price — 7, 8, 9 euros net cold per square meter. And if we regulate rents at different levels, that will bring down rents overall.
Dima Vachedin:
Some people are afraid: right now they at least have the chance to get something for a couple thousand euros. And if the market gets regulated further, those apartments will disappear too — that's the concern.
Elif Eralp:
Well, the apartments people are getting for 2,000 euros right now are still going to be there, and they'll still have to be rented out — leaving units vacant is illegal in Berlin. We'll force landlords to rent them out more cheaply. And there are also many people from Ukraine still living in mass shelters — we need to move them into apartments too, and we'll support such projects. We'll make sure the state-owned housing companies have a quota of apartments for vulnerable groups — refugees, women from shelters, and homeless people.
Dima Vachedin:
Do you plan to build as well?
Elif Eralp:
Our housing construction program is the most ambitious of any party. We want 75,000 new affordable apartments built within ten years. We want to inject one and a half billion euros a year in equity into the state-owned housing companies, so they don't have to cross-finance new construction through rents. Over the last ten years, 70 to 90 percent of affordable housing was built by the state-owned companies alone. Private developers mostly built luxury units, condos for sale, or nothing at all — like Vonovia.
That said, we don't want to scare off investors — come on in! Any investor who wants to contribute to affordable housing is very welcome. There's existing support for private developers who build affordable housing, and we're even going to increase it. But anyone looking to speculate isn't welcome here.
Dima Vachedin:
And how is Berlin supposed to earn the money to afford all this?
Elif Eralp:
That's a central question and a central task for the next government — to strengthen Berlin's economy. In my view, the current government has made two major mistakes: it cut spending on science — that is, universities — and on culture. But those are the most important economic factors for Berlin, from tourism to new ideas and innovation. That's why we want to reverse these cuts to culture, support science and startups, and also support small businesses with a founder's bonus. That used to exist, and it should exist again. Also, affordable housing is closely tied to the economy: if people can't find an apartment here, they won't build their business or do their research here either. One thing pulls the other along. We're also planning a wealth tax, which could bring in 5.5 billion euros a year. That's been calculated by the German Institute for Economic Research — not a left-wing organization.
Dima Vachedin:
Starting at what level of wealth would the tax apply?
Elif Eralp:
From one million a year. That affects very few people, but it could help the city a lot. We can't introduce this tax at the state level, though — only the Bundestag can — so we're pushing hard for it there. Here in Berlin, we want to introduce a tax on villas worth more than 4 million euros. Overall, we also need to clean up the budget — for example, save the millions we're spending on the Olympic bid.
Dima Vachedin:
A large part of our community earns relatively well, more than 60,000 euros a year. At the same time, they pay high taxes and get ripped off on rent. But when they hear that the Left Party is coming to power, many remember the 1917 revolution in Russia and the nationalizations.
Elif Eralp:
No ordinary person will be affected by this! This only applies to the big real estate corporations, starting from their 3001st apartment. We have no intention of nationalizing private property — this won't affect a single private owner. We have absolutely no problem with people living in their own apartments. It's great that they get to live there!
Dima Vachedin:
But these professionals I'm talking about…
Elif Eralp:
We're actually giving them major relief! Look at the calculations from the German Institute for Economic Research: our tax concept relieves not just the lower class, but the middle class too. At the state level, we want free meals for schoolchildren — not just in elementary schools, but in higher grades too. We're making sure bus and train fares stay affordable. In short: we're doing a lot to bring your costs down. Because the housing problem doesn't just affect poor people. I'm a member of parliament, I make good money, and I've been looking for an apartment for myself and my children for seven years.
Dima Vachedin:
Really?
Elif Eralp:
Yes! I've been searching for years. If I could pay four thousand a month, I'd have found something. But I can't afford that.
Dima Vachedin:
But will the well-earning people from our community be welcome in the Berlin you'll be governing?
Elif Eralp:
Absolutely welcome. We urgently need skilled professionals — Berlin has a massive shortage of skilled workers, across a great many fields. We want everyone here to have a good, affordable life with dignity.
Dima Vachedin:
Do you want to extend voting rights to foreigners?
Elif Eralp:
Yes, I've been fighting for this for a long time. At the latest, after five years of living in Germany, people should get the right to vote. And we also want to make naturalization easier.
Dima Vachedin:
Should only foreigners who've already found work be allowed to vote?
Elif Eralp:
No, that makes no difference. Political participation can't depend on whether someone is poor or rich. You live here, you're subject to the laws here — and you should get a say.
Dima Vachedin:
And Tempelhofer Feld — build on it, or leave it as it is?
Elif Eralp:
We're against building on the edges. First, Berliners already decided that Tempelhofer Feld should stay open. Up to 200,000 people use this field every week. It's a wonderful open space that the local community puts so much into — small garden plots, a circus, all kinds of events. We want to preserve that for people. It also matters for the climate, as a fresh-air corridor. And there are plenty of other places to build — Tegel Airport, for one.
Dima Vachedin:
Does Berlin have a garbage problem?
Elif Eralp:
Yes, a huge one! Ending the garbage chaos is one of our core priorities. I hear about it every day at people's doorsteps, whether I'm in Kreuzberg or Lichtenberg. Everyone complains: dirty streets, needles on playgrounds. I think there are several reasons — one is the high turnover in some neighborhoods: people get displaced, small shops disappear. What to do? First: clean more often, more trash cans, more free bulky-waste pickup days. Second, we want to change people's mindset — that's why we organize cleanup days ourselves. Hey neighbor, this is our block, let's keep it clean! More and more people are planting flowers outside their homes.
Dima Vachedin:
I read that you support allowing swimming in the Spree and support the Fluss Bad Berlin association.
Elif Eralp:
Yes, we support that! We want to lift the swimming ban and invest more in making the Spree cleaner.
Dima Vachedin:
You also support the traditional taxi trade and oppose platforms like Uber. I actually paid 10 euros for a 20-minute ride yesterday and was very happy about it. But you want to go back to the classic taxi business?
Elif Eralp:
Uber's business model relies on drivers not working under decent conditions. We want people to be paid at proper rates, so they can actually live off their wages. I understand anyone who wants a cheap ride. But the problem is that this takes away regular jobs, and second, that people can't make a decent living from it. We'd rather invest in public transit and in the bike-sharing network.
Dima Vachedin:
Last question. This has been a pretty tough campaign — not everyone who started it is still with us. How are you dealing with that? I think it's also the first time in your life at this level that you have a real shot at becoming mayor, and so many hopes are riding on you. Is it hard?
Elif Eralp:
It's definitely a huge challenge. Having so many people place their hope in me does something to you — I really don't want to disappoint that hope. But I chose this path because I believe I can make people's everyday lives better, and I want to work hard every day so that the people who keep this city running have a better life. It's not easy — I have two kids, after all. But it's also a great honor — I get to meet so many new people, in the east, the west, the outer districts, and that motivates me enormously. Just yesterday, a woman in Pankow told me she can't make ends meet at the checkout with her five kids. I want her life to get better too. I want less discrimination, less hatred and division, I want us to support each other — and for me to help my elderly neighbor when she needs it. That's what gets me up every morning and keeps me going.
GENAU and WIR.DE are presenting an interview series with leading candidates from parties contesting the Berlin election. We contacted all parties with a chance of entering the Berlin House of Representatives, including the AfD. GENAU editor-in-chief Dima Vachedin spoke with those who responded. This is the third interview in the series. The original interview was published in Russian; this is the translation.
Dima Vachedin:
Vergesellschaftung — socialization, a difficult German word — of housing corporations. What's it for?
Elif Eralp:
Well, almost 60 percent of Berliners voted in favor of the socialization project. So we think it's a democratic mandate — for the current government, but also for any future one. What's it for? About 220,000 apartments that are currently in the hands of large real estate corporations — like Vonovia, Heimstaden, Deutsche Wohnen — would be transferred to a public-law institution, meaning they'd become public property. That serves the purpose of being able to regulate rents, which we can't currently do with private owners. This takes these apartments out of speculation and out of the possibility of profiting from the housing shortage. Apartments get bought, renovated, and then rents get doubled or tripled. In some cases we have cold rents of up to 25 euros per square meter in this city, which nobody can afford anymore. That's why we say: housing is a human right. And we want to take that right out of the hands of speculation.
Dima Vachedin:
How serious are you about this? Is it a condition for forming a coalition with you?
Elif Eralp:
In a coalition agreement, we need to agree to pull every lever to make Berlin affordable again. The biggest problem is rents that are too high. So yes, it's a central element for us. But not the only one.
Dima Vachedin:
The referendum was five years ago. Do you think the mood among Berliners hasn't changed since then?
Elif Eralp:
In fact, Vonovia itself — the real estate corporation where we uncovered mass illegal rent increases — commissioned a study and found that over 56 percent of Berliners still support socialization. And that's also what I hear on the street. People support this.
Dima Vachedin:
We're a Russian-language magazine, and many of our readers only came to the city after the war began. Berlin does have some mechanisms to keep rents at a certain level. But those who've moved here recently don't fall under this system — they pay 2,000, 3,000 euros for an apartment. From their perspective, that's unfair, and it would be fair if everyone had the same chances.
Elif Eralp:
That's a huge problem. I keep hearing that people seeking refuge here specifically get cheated. People pay 1,000 euros for a badly furnished room. That's actually already illegal. But some exploit people's helplessness and desperation. Current tenancy law mostly helps those who already live in their apartments. But we also want to help people who move here from other countries, or people who have children and need a bigger apartment. That's why we fought for a rent cap, but the Constitutional Court ruled that we in Berlin exceeded our authority. So now we at least want our Secure Housing Law, which forces private owners to offer every third apartment at an affordable price — 7, 8, 9 euros net cold per square meter. And if we regulate rents at different levels, that will bring down rents overall.
Dima Vachedin:
Some people are afraid: right now they at least have the chance to get something for a couple thousand euros. And if the market gets regulated further, those apartments will disappear too — that's the concern.
Elif Eralp:
Well, the apartments people are getting for 2,000 euros right now are still going to be there, and they'll still have to be rented out — leaving units vacant is illegal in Berlin. We'll force landlords to rent them out more cheaply. And there are also many people from Ukraine still living in mass shelters — we need to move them into apartments too, and we'll support such projects. We'll make sure the state-owned housing companies have a quota of apartments for vulnerable groups — refugees, women from shelters, and homeless people.
Dima Vachedin:
Do you plan to build as well?
Elif Eralp:
Our housing construction program is the most ambitious of any party. We want 75,000 new affordable apartments built within ten years. We want to inject one and a half billion euros a year in equity into the state-owned housing companies, so they don't have to cross-finance new construction through rents. Over the last ten years, 70 to 90 percent of affordable housing was built by the state-owned companies alone. Private developers mostly built luxury units, condos for sale, or nothing at all — like Vonovia.
That said, we don't want to scare off investors — come on in! Any investor who wants to contribute to affordable housing is very welcome. There's existing support for private developers who build affordable housing, and we're even going to increase it. But anyone looking to speculate isn't welcome here.
Dima Vachedin:
And how is Berlin supposed to earn the money to afford all this?
Elif Eralp:
That's a central question and a central task for the next government — to strengthen Berlin's economy. In my view, the current government has made two major mistakes: it cut spending on science — that is, universities — and on culture. But those are the most important economic factors for Berlin, from tourism to new ideas and innovation. That's why we want to reverse these cuts to culture, support science and startups, and also support small businesses with a founder's bonus. That used to exist, and it should exist again. Also, affordable housing is closely tied to the economy: if people can't find an apartment here, they won't build their business or do their research here either. One thing pulls the other along. We're also planning a wealth tax, which could bring in 5.5 billion euros a year. That's been calculated by the German Institute for Economic Research — not a left-wing organization.
Dima Vachedin:
Starting at what level of wealth would the tax apply?
Elif Eralp:
From one million a year. That affects very few people, but it could help the city a lot. We can't introduce this tax at the state level, though — only the Bundestag can — so we're pushing hard for it there. Here in Berlin, we want to introduce a tax on villas worth more than 4 million euros. Overall, we also need to clean up the budget — for example, save the millions we're spending on the Olympic bid.
Dima Vachedin:
A large part of our community earns relatively well, more than 60,000 euros a year. At the same time, they pay high taxes and get ripped off on rent. But when they hear that the Left Party is coming to power, many remember the 1917 revolution in Russia and the nationalizations.
Elif Eralp:
No ordinary person will be affected by this! This only applies to the big real estate corporations, starting from their 3001st apartment. We have no intention of nationalizing private property — this won't affect a single private owner. We have absolutely no problem with people living in their own apartments. It's great that they get to live there!
Dima Vachedin:
But these professionals I'm talking about…
Elif Eralp:
We're actually giving them major relief! Look at the calculations from the German Institute for Economic Research: our tax concept relieves not just the lower class, but the middle class too. At the state level, we want free meals for schoolchildren — not just in elementary schools, but in higher grades too. We're making sure bus and train fares stay affordable. In short: we're doing a lot to bring your costs down. Because the housing problem doesn't just affect poor people. I'm a member of parliament, I make good money, and I've been looking for an apartment for myself and my children for seven years.
Dima Vachedin:
Really?
Elif Eralp:
Yes! I've been searching for years. If I could pay four thousand a month, I'd have found something. But I can't afford that.
Dima Vachedin:
But will the well-earning people from our community be welcome in the Berlin you'll be governing?
Elif Eralp:
Absolutely welcome. We urgently need skilled professionals — Berlin has a massive shortage of skilled workers, across a great many fields. We want everyone here to have a good, affordable life with dignity.
Dima Vachedin:
Do you want to extend voting rights to foreigners?
Elif Eralp:
Yes, I've been fighting for this for a long time. At the latest, after five years of living in Germany, people should get the right to vote. And we also want to make naturalization easier.
Dima Vachedin:
Should only foreigners who've already found work be allowed to vote?
Elif Eralp:
No, that makes no difference. Political participation can't depend on whether someone is poor or rich. You live here, you're subject to the laws here — and you should get a say.
Dima Vachedin:
And Tempelhofer Feld — build on it, or leave it as it is?
Elif Eralp:
We're against building on the edges. First, Berliners already decided that Tempelhofer Feld should stay open. Up to 200,000 people use this field every week. It's a wonderful open space that the local community puts so much into — small garden plots, a circus, all kinds of events. We want to preserve that for people. It also matters for the climate, as a fresh-air corridor. And there are plenty of other places to build — Tegel Airport, for one.
Dima Vachedin:
Does Berlin have a garbage problem?
Elif Eralp:
Yes, a huge one! Ending the garbage chaos is one of our core priorities. I hear about it every day at people's doorsteps, whether I'm in Kreuzberg or Lichtenberg. Everyone complains: dirty streets, needles on playgrounds. I think there are several reasons — one is the high turnover in some neighborhoods: people get displaced, small shops disappear. What to do? First: clean more often, more trash cans, more free bulky-waste pickup days. Second, we want to change people's mindset — that's why we organize cleanup days ourselves. Hey neighbor, this is our block, let's keep it clean! More and more people are planting flowers outside their homes.
Dima Vachedin:
I read that you support allowing swimming in the Spree and support the Fluss Bad Berlin association.
Elif Eralp:
Yes, we support that! We want to lift the swimming ban and invest more in making the Spree cleaner.
Dima Vachedin:
You also support the traditional taxi trade and oppose platforms like Uber. I actually paid 10 euros for a 20-minute ride yesterday and was very happy about it. But you want to go back to the classic taxi business?
Elif Eralp:
Uber's business model relies on drivers not working under decent conditions. We want people to be paid at proper rates, so they can actually live off their wages. I understand anyone who wants a cheap ride. But the problem is that this takes away regular jobs, and second, that people can't make a decent living from it. We'd rather invest in public transit and in the bike-sharing network.
Dima Vachedin:
Last question. This has been a pretty tough campaign — not everyone who started it is still with us. How are you dealing with that? I think it's also the first time in your life at this level that you have a real shot at becoming mayor, and so many hopes are riding on you. Is it hard?
Elif Eralp:
It's definitely a huge challenge. Having so many people place their hope in me does something to you — I really don't want to disappoint that hope. But I chose this path because I believe I can make people's everyday lives better, and I want to work hard every day so that the people who keep this city running have a better life. It's not easy — I have two kids, after all. But it's also a great honor — I get to meet so many new people, in the east, the west, the outer districts, and that motivates me enormously. Just yesterday, a woman in Pankow told me she can't make ends meet at the checkout with her five kids. I want her life to get better too. I want less discrimination, less hatred and division, I want us to support each other — and for me to help my elderly neighbor when she needs it. That's what gets me up every morning and keeps me going.
Elif Eralp (Die Linke) | Foto: @aanufriev
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