The citizens of Hamburg decisively voted against their city’s application to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games last Sunday. According to the statistics office North, which reported after counting almost all the votes, 54.9% voted against the Senate’s plans, while 45.1% supported the bid for the games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. The turnout for the vote was 49.5%.
First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) stated that the vote was binding on the Senate, thus withdrawing the candidacy. While expressing regret over the outcome, noting that many citizens had looked forward to the games, Tschentscher affirmed that city development and infrastructure projects will now continue at “full strength” regardless of the Olympics.
In a separate statement, Second Mayor Katharina Fegebank (The Greens) described the referendum result as a “disappointing setback” and a “missed opportunity” for Hamburg. She respected the popular vote but maintained that she still wishes for Olympic Games to be held in Germany. Meanwhile, Sports Senator Andy Grote (SPD) thanked those who had championed the bid and announced that the positive energy from recent weeks would now be redirected toward promoting physical activity among children and young people.
Critics had voiced opposition to the bid, citing unquantifiable financial risks and the potential strain on residents, the city, and the environment due to associated traffic and construction projects. Concerns were also raised that high rents would likely continue to rise and that the games would offer few positive benefits to grassroots sports.
Consequently, due to the public vote, Hamburg will withdraw from the application process and will not submit its final concept to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) by the planned deadline of June 4th. The decision regarding the German representative for the 2036, 2040, or 2044 Games, which will be among Munich, Berlin, and the Rhine-Ruhr region, is now scheduled to take place on September 26th at the DOSB’s members’ assembly. It is worth noting that a previous Hamburg bid, driven by public opinion, failed back in 2015.
