PARTEIATLAS

An independent field guide to Germany’s political parties

Federal politics2025 election edition

Germany’s Länder · 2026

State elections, explained

Official election status and what the major parties want to change in Berlin, compared on the issues the state controls.

Election calendar

Recent and upcoming

Official calendar ↗
  1. PastBaden-Württemberg
  2. PastRhineland-Palatinate
  3. PastSaxony-Anhalt
  4. PastBerlin + Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
  5. NextSaarland + Schleswig-Holstein

First, a distinction

These are state elections

Germans call them Landtagswahlen. They choose a state parliament and help determine the state government. The Länder shape schools, policing, regional transport, culture and much of local administration. Municipal elections choose councils and mayors instead.

Berlin is both a city and a Land. Its Abgeordnetenhaus election takes place alongside elections for the twelve district assemblies.

Count underway

Berlin

Berlin combines the pressures of a growing capital with state-level responsibility for housing, schools, policing, transport and district administration.

HousingTransportSchoolsAdministrationSecurity

Official count

Interim second-vote result

843 of 4,114polling areas counted
Die Linke
26.3%
AfD
19.5%
CDU
17.1%
Greens
13.1%
SPD
11.1%
BSW
5.2%
FDP
2.2%

Programme snapshot

What each party wants to do

Concise editorial summaries of the parties’ state programmes. Open the original programme for the complete proposal.

CDU

A functioning, secure capital with faster administration, more building and a stronger economy.

  • Accelerate housing construction
  • Modernise public administration
  • Strengthen policing and public order
Read the official programme ↗

SPD

An affordable city built around housing, reliable public services, jobs and support for families.

  • Keep rents and daily life affordable
  • Invest in schools and childcare
  • Protect jobs and neighbourhood services
Read the official programme ↗

Greens

A climate-neutral, open city with affordable housing, cleaner transport and dependable public services.

  • Expand affordable housing
  • Advance the transport and energy transition
  • Make administration more reliable
Read the official programme ↗

AfD

A stricter approach to migration, policing and public spending, with less climate regulation.

  • Tighten migration policy
  • Prioritise police and public order
  • Cut climate and diversity programmes
Read the official programme ↗

Die Linke

A more affordable Berlin led by rent controls, public housing and expanded social provision.

  • Cap rents and expand public housing
  • Strengthen public services
  • Protect low-income households
Read the official programme ↗

FDP

A more entrepreneurial city with simpler rules, faster building, digital administration and stronger schools.

  • Reduce barriers to business and building
  • Digitise administration
  • Raise school performance
Read the official programme ↗

BSW

An affordable, socially protective city with more public housing, stronger infrastructure and tighter migration rules.

  • Grow the public housing stock
  • Invest in schools and infrastructure
  • Apply stricter migration controls
Read the official programme ↗

Topic by topic

Compare the parties

Open an issue to see the seven approaches together. These are programme positions, not predictions or endorsements.

01HousingBuild more, regulate rents, or expand public ownership?
CDU

Speed up planning and construction, enable more ownership and use state land to increase supply.

Programme ↗
SPD

Expand affordable and public housing while protecting tenants and limiting rent pressure.

Programme ↗
Greens

Build climate-friendly affordable homes, protect tenants and use land more efficiently.

Programme ↗
AfD

Increase construction and favour long-term residents in access to scarce housing.

Programme ↗
Die Linke

Strengthen rent controls, stop displacement and move more housing into public or cooperative ownership.

Programme ↗
FDP

Unlock private construction, simplify building rules and expand routes into home ownership.

Programme ↗
BSW

Expand municipal housing, curb rent increases and direct public land toward affordable homes.

Programme ↗
02TransportHow should Berlin balance public transport, cycling and cars?
CDU

Keep every mode available, improve public transport and avoid broad restrictions on drivers.

Programme ↗
SPD

Improve reliable and affordable public transport while making walking and cycling safer.

Programme ↗
Greens

Shift more journeys to public transport, walking and cycling and reduce transport emissions.

Programme ↗
AfD

Protect car access and parking and oppose climate-led restrictions on driving.

Programme ↗
Die Linke

Make public transport cheaper and more extensive, especially for lower-income residents.

Programme ↗
FDP

Use technology and capacity expansion across modes rather than bans or fixed transport hierarchies.

Programme ↗
BSW

Prioritise affordable, reliable public transport while retaining practical access for drivers.

Programme ↗
03Education & childcareWhere would parties put resources in schools and Kitas?
CDU

Focus on core skills, school quality, dependable childcare and clearer performance expectations.

Programme ↗
SPD

Invest in school buildings, staff, all-day provision and affordable support for families.

Programme ↗
Greens

Improve staffing and inclusion and modernise schools for digital and climate-aware learning.

Programme ↗
AfD

Emphasise German-language ability, traditional curricula and stricter standards in schools.

Programme ↗
Die Linke

Expand free, inclusive education and childcare and reduce inequality between neighbourhoods.

Programme ↗
FDP

Give schools more autonomy, modernise teaching and measure learning outcomes more consistently.

Programme ↗
BSW

Strengthen core learning, school infrastructure and equal access regardless of family income.

Programme ↗
04Economy & administrationHow would parties make the city work better?
CDU

Speed up permits, digitise services and make Berlin more attractive for investment and skilled workers.

Programme ↗
SPD

Combine faster public services with good jobs, collective bargaining and strategic investment.

Programme ↗
Greens

Modernise the administration and direct investment toward a climate-neutral, innovative economy.

Programme ↗
AfD

Cut spending on climate, migration and diversity programmes and concentrate government on core tasks.

Programme ↗
Die Linke

Expand public capacity, bring essential services under democratic control and protect workers.

Programme ↗
FDP

Reduce bureaucracy, offer digital-by-default services and improve conditions for founders and employers.

Programme ↗
BSW

Invest in infrastructure and local industry while making basic services simpler and more dependable.

Programme ↗
05Security, migration & cohesionHow do parties connect safety, migration and an open city?
CDU

Increase visible policing, enforce rules consistently and manage migration more tightly.

Programme ↗
SPD

Combine neighbourhood policing and prevention with integration and protection from discrimination.

Programme ↗
Greens

Invest in prevention and accountable policing while defending asylum, inclusion and civil rights.

Programme ↗
AfD

Pursue restrictive migration and asylum policy, tougher enforcement and a larger security presence.

Programme ↗
Die Linke

Prioritise prevention and social investment, protect asylum rights and strengthen police accountability.

Programme ↗
FDP

Enforce immigration rules, improve integration through education and work, and protect civil liberties.

Programme ↗
BSW

Limit irregular migration, improve enforcement and pair public safety with stronger social cohesion.

Programme ↗

How to read this guide

Party promises, clearly labelled

This first edition compares the seven national party families that Parteiatlas tracks across its federal guide. CSU is not shown because it contests elections only in Bavaria. Smaller and local lists may also appear on each state ballot.

Each summary is a neutral English-language synthesis of the linked state programme. It does not assess whether a promise is practical, funded or likely to become law. For federal positions, use the full party comparison.

Election status checked 20 September 2026 · result snapshots come from the official election authorities · programme links open the parties’ own websites