Thousands Protest Against High Rents and for Tenants’ Rights in Munich

Under the slogan We’ve Had Enough, thousands gathered in Munich on Saturday to demand stronger tenant protections and the provision of affordable housing. According to organizers, approximately 10,000 people participated in the rally, while police reported between 4,000 and 5,000 participants during the afternoon.

The German Tenants’ Association organized the meeting. “Housing is a basic right, not a commodity,” noted the association’s president, Melanie Weber-Moritz, in a released statement. She added that millions of people in Germany suffer from high rents or face the threat of eviction, and therefore, politicians must finally take action.

Munich Housing Market Among the Most Expensive

The protesters’ demands were addressed equally to municipalities, states, and the federal government. “We need significantly more affordable and social housing, effective rent caps, and a decisive fight against vacant properties and real estate speculation,” Weber-Moritz stated.

The Tenants’ Association chose Munich as the location for the protest because the housing market situation here is particularly strained, and the city itself is considered one of the most expensive in Germany. Munich Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) expressed support for the demonstration, pointing out the difficult situation faced by many citizens. Families feared losing their apartments, and students were forced to pay astronomical prices for furnished rooms. For retirees and middle-income earners, the housing issue in the city has long become a matter of survival.

Reiter Calls on Federal Government and Chancellor Merz to Respond

The Lord Mayor, who will run for office again on March 8 representing the SPD, placed primary responsibility on federal policy. In a letter to Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), Reiter mentioned a ten-point plan. “Without a clear and consistent federal legislative framework, we are fighting a losing battle,” Reiter complained.

Stopping the spiral of rising rents using only municipal means is impossible. “Tenancy law is primarily federal law, and that is where the decisive control lever is located,” he wrote. Reiter demanded a fundamental reform at the federal level, supplemented by stricter rules at the state level.

Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur