Members of the SPD parliamentary group in Berlin are sharply criticizing the Investment Protection Law proposed by Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU).
Hakan Demir, the MP for Neukölln, told the “Welt” that Dobrindt’s draft is heading into a “legal Bermuda Triangle.” He pointed out the fundamental differences in legislative powers between the federal government and the states, noting the distinction between concurrent and exclusive legislation. From Demir’s perspective, the Interior Minister is overstepping federal boundaries, claiming the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over the process of socialization. Demir argued that Dobrindt’s stipulations effectively make it practically impossible for state governments to exercise their constitutional rights. He anticipates that the law will be stopped by the Constitutional Court (Karlsruhe) at the latest. When asked if he would support a similar draft in the Bundestag, the deputy spokesperson for the SPD is hoping that the bill never makes it to parliament.
Ruppert Stüwe, another SPD Member of Parliament representing Steglitz/Zehlendorf, also voiced concerns in the “Welt.” He emphasized that the Basic Law explicitly allows for the socialization of property. In his view, federal regulation on the matter is unnecessary. Stüwe expressed skepticism regarding Dobrindt’s plans, particularly because several crucial constitutional questions remain unresolved. He stated that he would decide on his voting behavior only once the draft law is formally presented to the Bundestag.
The planned Investment Protection Law aims to complicate the societal takeover of large residential property holdings. According to the key provisions, property owners must be compensated at full market value, and the process of socialization can only be permitted as a last resort.
This legislative push comes in the context of plans put forth by parties like Linke, the Greens, and the SPD in Berlin. Their proposals involve transferring approximately 160,000 apartments owned by large private real estate companies into public ownership, a process which they estimate would involve compensation capped at 16 billion euros.
