Berlin CDU unveils election platform with major U-Bahn and S-Bahn expansion, return of preschool
The Berlin CDU, led by Governing Mayor Kai Wegner, has released its platform for the 20 September state election, centering on a large-scale expansion of the U-Bahn and S-Bahn networks and a return to earlier education policies.
Transit expansion
The Berlin CDU has presented its election program for the Abgeordnetenhauswahl on 20 September, with a central plank being a significant expansion of the city's public transport network. The party plans to extend several U-Bahn lines: the U2 from Pankow Kirche to Französisch Buchholz and Buch, the U3 to Mexikoplatz, the U8 to the Märkisches Viertel, and the U7 to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) and onward to Heerstraße Nord.
We want to extend the U2 via Pankow Kirche to Französisch Buchholz and Buch, the U3 to Mexikoplatz, the U8 to the Märkisches Viertel, and the U7 to BER airport and to Heerstraße Nord.
The S-Bahn network would also see additions. The S75 is slated to run from Wartenberg via Malchow to Birkenwerder, while the S5 would be extended to Nauen. The S21 would become a second north-south City S-Bahn, running from the Nordring via Hauptbahnhof to Potsdamer Platz and Yorckstraße.
Brandenburg links and maglev
The program emphasizes better connections with the neighboring state of Brandenburg. The party states it will link the centers of Brandenburg an der Havel, Cottbus, Frankfurt an der Oder, and Potsdam more closely with Berlin. The semester ticket for students would also be expanded to cover Brandenburg.
We will link the centers of the state of Brandenburg (Brandenburg an der Havel, Cottbus, Frankfurt an der Oder and Potsdam) even better and more closely with Berlin.
A magnetic levitation train is proposed for further development around BER airport or new residential areas. Discussions about possible routes have been ongoing in Berlin for some time, though the coalition partner SPD has so far declined to support the idea.
Education policy
Beyond transport, the CDU's platform under state party leader Kai Wegner includes a return to several earlier education policies. The party wants to reintroduce preschool (Vorschule), behavior and effort grades (Kopfnoten), and the civil-service status for teachers (Verbeamtung). Gymnasien would be preserved and strengthened. The Tagesspiegel newsletter "Checkpoint" had previously reported on the program.
