Foreign residents in Berlin barred from voting in upcoming state election
Around a quarter of Berlin's adult population cannot vote in the September 20 state election because they lack German citizenship, sparking calls for broader enfranchisement.
Abdu Taviq, an Egyptian tech worker living in Berlin, laments that despite contributing taxes he cannot influence the upcoming September 20 state election, which will decide the future of the CDU-SPD coalition. Berlin’s population of 3.9 million includes about 976,000 adults without German citizenship, a figure that has doubled since 2011, leaving them disenfranchised in the state vote. While EU nationals can vote in municipal elections, the state election restricts the franchise to German citizens only.
To spotlight this gap, Green Party district mayor Stefanie Remlinger arranged a symbolic vote for roughly 135,000 non-citizens in Mitte, offering fifteen polling stations over two weeks. She warns that one outlet political climate, marked by a near-20 % AfD poll share and FDP opposition to foreign voting, makes reform unlikely. The debate also touches on Germany’s tightened citizenship rules, which have slowed naturalisation despite a recent rise in approvals. Taviq says the lack of voting rights makes him consider leaving the country.
Why it matters
It shows how many residents contribute to Berlin’s economy yet lack any say in its government.
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