By Julian Loevenich
26.9 kilometers separate the Zeltinger Platz in Reinickendorf and the Wörlitzer Straße in Marzahn. As long as you take the car. But another, similar value separates the two neighborhoods: 26.6 percent. The turnout in the last Berlin vote in 2021 was so far apart. That is top value!
Because: In the Reinickendorf 6 constituency in the far north in Frohnau, most people in Berlin went to the polls: 86.3 percent. In the Marzahn-Hellersdorf 1 constituency east of Märkische Allee, however, it was the least: 59.7 percent. What are the reasons?
A visit to Zeltinger Platz. A fine, pretty place, well-kept green areas, a lot of monument protection. Thilo Schmidt (59) has been working in the Haberland bookstore on the edge of the square for twelve years. “I’m not surprised by the high turnout,” he says. “The Frohnauer is educated, responsible and interested in politics.”
Thilo Schmidt (59) has been working in the Haberland bookstore in Frohnau for twelve years: “The people here are responsible. In everyday life, however, politics is not an issue here.” Photo: Olaf Selchow
There in the north of Berlin the world is intact. Far away from Chaos-Kotti and his drugs. People know each other at the weekly market. Angelika Maass (75) has lived in the constituency for over 30 years, telling the BZ reporters: “We are conscientious here, that’s why so many vote.” And: “The population is older here, that’s also a reason.”
Asked by someone who knows his district: Mayor Uwe Brockhausen (60, SPD). His explanation for most voters: “That corresponds to my perception that particularly committed citizens who want to get involved live in this constituency.”
change of location. Woerlitzer Strasse in Marzahn. A bent CDU election poster on the sidewalk. Arcades are lined up with kebab shops. The Frohnauer world, it doesn’t just look far away because of the kilometers.
Only 59.7 percent of those entitled to vote put their ballot in the ballot box there in 2021. Berlin-wide participation was 75.4 percent.
“I always vote,” says Sabrina Barkowski (33). She has lived in the district for three years. Moved here from Bavaria because of love. “But I know people who say, ‘Oh, if I vote, nothing changes anyway’.”
Political apathy? Marzahn’s Mayor Gordon Lemm (45/SPD) defends his district: The turnout overall is very different in Marzahn – Mahlsdorf or Biesdorf are among the highest in the city.
Sabrina Barkowski (33) has lived in the Marzahn 1 constituency for five years: “I know people who say here: ‘It doesn’t change anything if I vote.'” Photo: Olaf Selchow
Gunnar Lindemann (52), AfD man, has been in the House of Representatives for Marzahn 1 for six years. “In my opinion, he cares little or not at all about the concerns of the residents,” complains Lemm.
In addition, it is difficult to attract attention in the local press in competition with other districts and the country. “In any case, this makes communication more difficult for us as an administration,” says Lemm.
He wants to hire more staff in the district in the future. Especially in the area of communication. Lemm: “Information is the first and most important step in participation.”
For the election on Sunday, however, this step comes too late.
Where do the differences come from?
How does science classify high and low voter turnouts – especially in a city like Berlin?
Election researcher Andreas Wüst from Munich University of Applied Sciences: “In cities, differences in social status (particularly education and income) are greater than in rural areas. And since voter turnout is strongly influenced by status, the differences in voter turnout in a city are also comparatively large.”
In addition: “People don’t get involved politically because they can’t, because they don’t want to or because they weren’t asked to get involved.” According to Wüst, ability depends on education, wanting on political interest and ” Are prayed” by parties, media and the population as a whole. “People who are addressed directly also participate more frequently.”
By the way: There are no fixed values from which one can speak of a high or low voter turnout. Wüst: “It always depends on how it turns out in other elections at the same level.”
But one thing is clear: “An election turnout below 50 percent is considered critical, since a minority then decided on the party strength.”