Berlin’s governing mayor Kai Wegner needs to carry the Summer Olympics to Berlin. But there’s resistance within the capital. Nevertheless, the Senate needs to proceed – and is now creating a brand new committee with a star athlete.
Cheering followers, celebration ambiance on the public viewing, summer season climate: even 20 years after the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the reminiscences of the summer season fairy story are nonetheless alive. The followers’ enthusiasm brought about a wave of euphoria within the nation, regardless that Germany didn’t win the title.
Now the capital needs to repeat the summer season fairy story – however not with soccer: The Berlin state authorities needs to use as a venue for the 2036 Summer Olympics, along with Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. A couple of weeks in the past, Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) enthused at a press convention that the Olympics might overcome social tensions. He additionally guarantees an “investment booster” for all the metropolis and jap Germany.
Dispute over precedence of Expo or Berlin
But the Olympic flame would not fairly burn within the capital but. An influence battle has damaged out behind the scenes in state politics: the previous household minister and present economics senator Franziska Giffey (SPD) has to this point favored the capital’s software for the Expo 2035 world exhibition and is supported within the background by the capital’s influential Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Both count on considerably extra funding within the metropolis by way of the Expo than by way of the Olympics, particularly since they apparently don’t consider that Berlin can prevail towards the three opponents Munich, Hamburg and Rhine-Ruhr. In addition, standard sports activities don’t profit from the Olympics, in response to one of many counterarguments.
According to the Global Goals Berlin eV affiliation, the Expo in Berlin ought to turn out to be a worth exhibition of sustainability. The thought: 50 concrete lighthouse initiatives ought to present revolutionary concepts from enterprise, science, tradition and civil society in Berlin. The initiative expects 30 million guests and 22 billion euros in extra financial development for Germany. But all of that is really nonetheless pure concept.
Critics recall the poorly attended Expo in Hanover and the billion greenback gap on the finish. The Expo doesn’t have almost as a lot worldwide enchantment because the Olympics. That’s why Giffey’s place within the state authorities is moderately remoted. “She is putting too much pressure on the brakes,” says a Berlin Social Democrat. However, there aren’t any concrete financial figures for the Olympics but.
However, holding the Expo and the Olympics one after the opposite can’t be assured in Berlin’s already tight price range and would hardly be potential from an organizational standpoint. The infrastructure that must be created would most likely be troublesome to match as a result of the identical areas can be used.
Even if he would not say so formally, behind the scenes the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) is asking for Berlin to set clear priorities. The candidates should submit their closing ideas by June 4, 2026, and the DOSB in Baden-Baden will then select the official German applicant metropolis on September 26, 2026. Travel instances, resort capacities and lodging choices for the athletes play a task, as does nationwide acceptance.
New advisory board with high athlete
According to WELT data, that is precisely the place Berlin’s Governing Mayor Wegner needs to ship an extra sign in direction of the DOSB on Tuesday – and thus additionally in direction of the Olympic skeptics like Giffey.
According to inner Senate paperwork, a board of trustees is to be created wherein 24 outstanding representatives of the town’s society from politics, enterprise, social affairs and sport are represented, chaired by Wegner and sports activities senator Iris Spranger (SPD). As WELT discovered, Berlin was capable of win the star monitor and area athlete Malaika Mihambo for the committee, who was the world champion within the lengthy bounce in 2019 and 2022, the Olympic champion in 2020 and the European champion in 2018 and 2024.
The committee is meant to extend acceptance of the Olympics within the metropolis. A referendum wherein the inhabitants decides for or towards the video games isn’t constitutionally potential within the metropolis. The first assembly of the advisors is scheduled to happen on December eleventh, after which members are scheduled to satisfy each two weeks till September 2026. They are speculated to assist the Berlin Olympic consultant Kaweh Niroomand. The Iranian-German volleyball supervisor was commissioned by the Senate in July 2025.
If a German software for 2036 fails, 2040 and 2044 would even be an possibility, in response to the DOSB.
Lars Petersen is the nationwide head of the investigative workforce at WELT, Business Insider Germany and Politico Germany and has been coping with energy struggles and affairs behind the scenes in enterprise and politics for years. Do you will have any clues for him? Then please contact the creator, even confidentially – by e-mail or by way of the encrypted messenger Threema (WTJPZ7PN)
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