Dear First-Time Voter,

12.09.11 –

With our letters we would like to support your decision-making at the Berlin City parliament elections on September 18th. Please let yourself be convinced to cast your vote for the Greens!

The 18th September is the day of days: Berlin Elections 2011 and for the first time you will have a say in who shall govern the city you live in.

Why is this important? Because this concerns YOU!

Want to get good professional training or go to college / university although you do not have A grades?
Want to move into your first own apartment or share an apartment without getting into debt just to pay the rent?
Want to be able to rely on a running S-Bahn - even when it is snowing?
Want to cycle to where you want to go without having stress or risking your life?
Want to go to concerts, parties or theatre events in your neighbourhood where young and unknown artists receive a platform?
Not think it is okay that Berlin imports electricity generated from nuclear power and coal in great quantities every day although it has thousands of roof surfaces that could be used to produce solar energy?

Berlin is a fantastic city, but is has a series of problems which need to be addressed and solved. We offer you a clear direction for yourself and for Berlin: Our goal is „one city for all talents“ where you get exactly those educational opportunities that take you toward your goals. We will pull out all the stops to keep the rents in Berlin going sky high. We want you to be able to afford the freedom and scope for the development you need. And we invest in the future: We want to create 100,000 new jobs – within the fields of renewable energies, health management, creative industries, care and education. We want to make cycling, walking, travelling by train and bus safer and more attractive all over the city. And we plan to establish our own public services „Berlin Energy“ which will finally make us independent from nuclear power.

This is all very well, you may ask: but why vote? Because this forthcoming election is by no means decided.

Since reunification either the SPD (Social Democrats) or the CDU (Christian Democrats) were previously miles ahead and uncatchable before the elections. Not this time though: For the first time ever there is a real opportunity to change the government. Do you really want the period of stagnant Red-Red rule to be extended from 10 to 15 years? Or do you want fresh ideas for Berlin with Renate Künast, a green politician, in the red city hall (Rotes Rathaus) for the first time?

On 18th September we can all make a big difference. By the way, if we had our way, you would already have been able to vote in the Berlin elections at the age of 16! Our application for this right to vote was dismissed by all other parties in the Berlin City Parliament – although the SPD declared the right to vote at the age of 16 in their manifestos. It is all the more important that you use your vote now, so that the voice of young people in Berlin is heard loud and clear in the future!

Your Greens in Berlin