2025 Hamburg universal basic income and climate action referendums

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2025 Hamburg universal basic income and climate action referendums
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←  2015 12 October 2025
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Ballots for the referendums

Two referendums are scheduled to be held on 12 October 2025 in the German city-state of Hamburg. The citizen of Hamburg will be able to vote on two proposed laws that were initiated via popular initiative: "Law on the Implementation of a Basic Income Pilot Program in the State of Hamburg" by the initiative Hamburg testet Grundeinkommen (lit. 'Hamburg tests universal basic income) [1] and the "Law for better climate protection" (Klimaschutzverbesserungsgesetz) by the initiative Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid (lit. 'Hamburg future initiative'). [2]

Contents

Background

Both initiatives had to collect 10,000 signatures to be presented before the parliament; once the parliament rejected both though inaction, the initiatives had three weeks to gather 66,000 signatures in order to force a referendum; both initiatives did this successfully by collecting more than 100,000 signatures each. They are the first referendums in Hamburg since the 2015 Hamburg Olympics referendum, almost ten years prior. [3] [4] [5]

Hamburg testet Grundeinkommen (universal basic income)

The popular initiative started in 2020 as part of the country-wide Expedition Grundeinkommen network and was quickly able to collect the 10,000 signatures required. The senate (Hamburg's government) sued the initiative before the Constitutional Court of Hamburg, which pointed out some of the issues with the proposal but denied that it was not within Hamburg's power to decide, as the senate had argued. [6] It makes Hamburg the first city and state in Germany where citizen can vote on a universal basic income. [5] [7]

The initiative received major donations from the Haleakala-Stiftung with its seat in Bochum, the Eutopia Foundation of Albert Wenger and his wife with its seat in the United States, and the dm-Werner-Stiftung. [8] [9]

Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid

Founded in 2023, [10] the initiative first started collecting signatures on 3 January 2024 [11] and quickly exceed the target of 10,000 later that same month. [12] After being rejected by the parliament through inaction, the initiative gathered a further 106,374 signatures by October 2024 [13] and requested the referendum to be held on 12 October 2025. [14]

Similarly to the other initiative, the Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid has also received donations from the Haleakala-Stiftung. [8]

Voting

Both proposals are required to win at least 20% of the yes vote from Hamburg's voting-age population to be accepted. A notification with mail-in-ballot possibility has been sent to all 1.3 million eligible voters in September 2025. [15] [16]

Proposals

Hamburg testet Grundeinkommen (universal basic income)

The initiative proposes a 3 year trial of a universal basic income (UBI) for 2,000 residents of Hamburg from different parts of the city, independent of income, age, and status. Each of these residents would receive 1,346 Euros from the state in addition to their health insurance. The trial run is to be scientifically observed as assisted. [17] [16] Multiple separate models are to be tested and observed. [8]

Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid

The initiative's primary focus is making Hamburg climate-neutral by 2040, five years before the incumbent government's plans. It also proposes a widespread adoption of a 30 km/h speed limit in the city, an earlier shutdown of Oil and Gas heaters, full electrification of transport systems, and yearly CO2 goals. [16]

Views and endorsements

Hamburg testet Grundeinkommen (universal basic income)

All parties represented in the Hamburg parliament, except The Left, oppose the proposal. [18]

Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid

All parties represented in the Hamburg parliament, except The Left, oppose the proposal. [19] [20] Although it has been noted that particularly The Greens, which are currently represented in government, are internally split. [15] [21] The Free Democratic Party (FDP), which is currently not represented in the Hamburg parliament, similarly opposes the proposal. [22] It has also been opposed by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. [23] The Authority for the Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture  [ de ] commissioned a study which came to the conclusion that the 2040 goal is highly ambitious. [24]

The Hamburg Theatre, [19] Hamburger Kunsthalle, [10] Hamburg tenant association, [25] Education and Science Workers' Union, [26] Fridays for Future Hamburg, and NABU Hamburg have voiced their support for the initiative. [27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Volksentscheid "Hamburg testet Grundeinkommen"". www.hamburg.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  2. ↑ "Volksentscheid "Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid"". www.hamburg.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  3. ↑ Zuschlag, André (2025-03-26). "Hamburg bekommt Superwahltag: Abstimmung über Klima und Grundeinkommen". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN   0931-9085 . Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  4. ↑ NDR.de. "Bedingungsloses Grundeinkommen: Unterschriftensammlung für Volksbegehren". ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  5. 1 2 "Volksentscheid: Hamburger sollen über Grundeinkommen abstimmen - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  6. ↑ Zuschlag, André (2023-09-21). "Grundeinkommen für 2.000 Menschen: Nahezu bedingungslos". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN   0931-9085 . Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  7. ↑ NDR.de. "Erster Modellversuch zu Grundeinkommen in Deutschland: Wahlkampagne für Volksentscheid gestartet". ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  8. 1 2 3 "Geld, Einfluss, Unabhängigkeit: Diese Stiftungen finanzieren die Volksinitiative „Hamburg testet Grundeinkommen" - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  9. ↑ Kahlcke, Jan (2025-09-16). "Grundeinkommen-Versuch in Hamburg: Stinkt Geld aus Amerika?". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN   0931-9085 . Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  10. 1 2 Heinze, Luca. "Hamburg bis 2040 klimaneutral – Initiative "Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid" kämpft für mehr Klimaschutz in Hamburg". szene-hamburg.com (in German).
  11. ↑ "Pressemitteilung: Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid fängt Sammelphase im neuen Jahr an". zukunftsentscheid-hamburg.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  12. ↑ Mediengruppe, FUNKE (2024-02-27). "Volksinitiative Zukunftsentscheid zustande gekommen". www.abendblatt.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  13. ↑ Hamburg, Radio. "Nächster Schritt Richtung Volksentscheid erreicht". Radio Hamburg (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  14. ↑ "Volksentscheid: Im Oktober sollen Hamburger über verschärfte Klimaschutzziele abstimmen - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  15. 1 2 NDR.de. ""Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid": Gutachten hält Forderung für machbar, aber einschneidende Maßnahmen wären nötig". ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  16. 1 2 3 "Signalwirkung aus Hamburg: Klimaneutralität 2040 und Grundeinkommen zur Abstimmung". t-online - Hamburg (in German). 2025-09-19. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  17. ↑ NDR.de. "Erster Modellversuch zu Grundeinkommen in Deutschland: Wahlkampagne für Volksentscheid gestartet". ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  18. ↑ NDR.de. "Erster Modellversuch zu Grundeinkommen in Deutschland: Wahlkampagne für Volksentscheid gestartet". ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  19. 1 2 NDR.de. ""Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid": Initiatoren optimistisch". ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  20. ↑ Zuschlag, André (2025-09-17). "Hamburger Senat gegen Zukunftsentscheid: Kontrolle wird ihnen guttun". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN   0931-9085 . Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  21. ↑ "Streit über „Zukunftsentscheid": Klimagift für Hamburgs Rot-Grüne Koalition - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  22. ↑ "FDP-Positionen zum „Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid": Eine Ablehnung aus Verantwortung | FDP Hamburg". fdphamburg.de. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  23. ↑ "Handelskammer Hamburg grenzt sich vom „Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid" ab". www.ihk.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  24. ↑ "Klimaneutral bis 2040? Hamburger Öko-Pläne funktionieren nur mit drastischen Maßnahmen". t-online - Hamburg (in German). 2025-09-16. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  25. ↑ "Signalwirkung aus Hamburg: Klimaneutralität 2040 und Grundeinkommen zur Abstimmung". t-online - Hamburg (in German). 2025-09-19. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  26. ↑ "GEW Hamburg unterstützt Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid | GEW Hamburg". www.gew-hamburg.de. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  27. ↑ "Volksentscheid für ein besseres Klimaschutzgesetz". NABU - Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (in German). Retrieved 2025-09-22.
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