In today’s referendum, a clear majority of Berliners voted in favor of remunicipalising the Berlin electricity network and setting up a new state energy utility. However, the necessary quorum of consent of 25% by all those entitled to vote was not met. The “Volksentscheid Neue Energie” (Referendum New Energy) therefore was not accepted by the required majorities.
The aim of the referendum was to to take over Berlin’s electricity grid and to set up a new power utility that will use more renewable energy [1]. 24.1 % of voters entitled to vote in Berlin were in favor of the referendum. 4.9% voted against.
According to the preliminary official results [2], the figures are as follows:
| Potential voters | 2,483,755 |
| Votes (total) | 722,365 |
| Percentage participating | 29.1% |
| Yes | |
| Votes | 599,565 |
| Percentage of votes | 83.0% |
| Percentage of potential voters | 24.1% |
| No | |
| Votes | 121,111 |
| Percentage of votes | 16.8% |
| Percentage of potential voters | 4.9% |
| Void | |
| Votes | 1,689 |
| Percentage of votes | 0.2 |
Contrary to a vote on a similar initiative in Hamburg shortly before, the Berlin referendum therefore remained unsuccessful. However, the clear 83% majority of Berliners voting in favour of a change is likely to affect local Berlin energy politics going forward.
(updated)
Sources: Die Landeswahlleiterin für Berlin [3], Berliner Energietisch [4]
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