Berlin SPD candidate Krach presents 100-day plan for mayoralty

Berlin's SPD candidate for the state election, Steffen Krach, has unveiled his "my Berlin promise," a 100-day plan outlining his priorities should he become the Governing Mayor. Krach, 46, aims to unseat the incumbent, CDU's Kai Wegner, in the September 20 election.

His ambitious agenda includes pursuing a bid for Berlin to host an Expo, implementing a ban on smartphones in primary schools, and introducing a Deutschlandticket for volunteers. Krach also pledged to introduce clear regulations for e-scooters and enhance school route safety, advocating for a standard speed limit of 30 km/h near kindergartens and schools.

Further proposals focus on improving public services, such as offering every Berlin household two free bulky waste collections annually, with a simplified digital booking system. Krach also committed to reducing bureaucracy through an "efficiency law," scrutinizing reporting and retention obligations at the state level. He stated that entities wishing to maintain these regulations must justify their necessity and benefit.

In addition to administrative reforms, Krach intends to increase the number of medical study places in Berlin, prevent stagnation on long-term construction sites, and more consistently prosecute violations of rent law. He assured that as Governing Mayor, he would demonstrate within the first 100 days that politics can deliver results. Current polls show the SPD trailing behind the CDU, with all five parties represented in the state parliament polling relatively closely.