# Berlin votes on its own mess > Berlin’s election is turning on dirty streets, broken services, high debt, and a city still loved for its culture and edge. - Title: Berlin votes on its own mess · Malay Mail | Shortify - Summary: Berlin’s election is turning on dirty streets, broken services, high debt, and a city still loved for its culture and edge. Berlin’s next government will be… - Keywords: berlin, elections, cities, housing, public services, news, world, votes, own, mess, Malay Mail - Source: Malay Mail — https://malaymail.com/news/world/2026/09/16/poor-but-sexy-berlin-heads-to-the-polls-parties-promise-clean-streets-syringe-free-playgrounds/235314 - Published: 2026-09-16T07:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: berlin, elections, cities, housing, public services, news, world ## A gritty campaign Berlin votes on Sunday with candidates promising cleaner streets, safer playgrounds, repaired bike lanes, and fewer endless construction sites. > syringe-free playgrounds ## The complaints pile up Campaign promises center on garbage, graffiti-covered stations, buckled cycling lanes, and a severe shortage of affordable homes. > forever-building sites ## A loved city strains Berlin still draws loyalty for its art, lakes, parks, museums, nightlife, start-ups, and history. That affection now sits beside daily anger at poor services. ## Bureaucracy drags Residents have long complained about slow administration. The city’s airport became the symbol, taking almost 15 years to build with Brandenburg state. ## Debt bites hard Berlin relies on support from richer German states and had 2.2 billion euros in debt in late 2024, forcing cuts across public spending. > poor but sexy ## Public decay shows Local coverage has highlighted crime hotspots, homelessness, rat-infested police stations, and a university campus closed over safety and structural defects. > decades of delayed investment and budget cuts in public infrastructure ## Residents clean up Valeriia Tantcyreva started Sauberberlin after her dog was hurt by broken glass. Her volunteers recently filled a disposal box with discarded syringes. > No one cares about the city ## City hall pushes back Officials denied waste-service failures and blamed many residents’ lack of civic responsibility for the garbage problem. > no operational failures ## Cyclists feel neglected Bikes make up 18 percent of Berlin trips, but riders say many lanes are narrow, damaged, overgrown, or warped by tree roots. > outdated, too narrow, overgrown with vegetation and buckled by tree roots ## No clear winner The next city government will almost certainly be a coalition. The CDU, Die Linke, AfD, and Greens are clustered in the polls, with the SPD behind them. ## Old wounds remain Voters also want the election itself to run properly after the 2021 vote was marred by long queues, missing ballots, and marathon-blocked resupplies. > chaos city ## Key takeaway Berlin’s next government will be judged less by big slogans than by whether it can make basic city services work.