Local election program 2025 - Short version

Volt is the only pan-European party, combining local responsibility with a European vision. We have Europe in our heart and Bonn in our sight. We look beyond the borders of our municipality and our country, and tackle our local challenges with a pan-European view. A vote for Volt in Bonn is therefore more than just local politics - it is a clear signal for progress, cooperation, freedom and responsibility at all levels.

Municipalities benefit considerably from the European Union - both financially and through exchange and mutual learning. Although the EU is de facto omnipresent in the municipality, it often remains invisible to many.

Our vision for Bonn:

• Bonn is a true European city, with projects and programs that bring the European Union closer to its residents and visitors.
• As a city in the heart of Europe, Bonn is in contact with many other European cities and promotes European exchange, knowledge transfer and active discussion of best practices.
• EU funding is used effectively to support the city's development in various areas and to ease the burden on its budget.

Our steps towards the future:

• Renaming Bonn's “Office for International Affairs and Global Sustainability” to “Office for European Affairs, International Affairs and Global Sustainability”
• Focusing on the acquisition of EU funding in order to relieve the burden on the municipal budget and to implement projects for which no funds would otherwise be available in the municipal budget
• Strengthening capacities of European integration in Bonn's administration through a training program for municipal employees as well as trainees
• Stronger networking and exchange between stakeholders in Bonn's partner cities, e.g. through a regular networking conference
• Developing an EU city tour
• Revitalizing Bonn's European and international public relations work on the city's website and in social media to strengthen the European idea and international solidarity

3.1.
Prioritizing the advancement of digitalization

Digitalization is the engine for innovation in order to overcome the challenges which Bonn is currently facing. In Bitkom's Smart City Index, the digital ranking of major German cities, the city of Bonn has deteriorated significantly in 2024. Yet Bonn offers good conditions for a successful digital transformation. Digitalization in Bonn must be driven forward quickly, its necessity and urgency must be recognized, considered city-wide and developed further.

Our vision for Bonn:

• Bonn can absorb demographic change with exemplary digitalization of administrative services. Services are digitalized and can be used efficiently by Bonn's citizens.
• Our city is pursuing an end-to-end, long-term and forward-looking digitalization strategy that is being implemented by politicians and the administration. Citizens accompany the transparent process.
• The financing of the digitalization strategy is secured and investments are possible.
• Administration and politics bring important interest groups together with ongoing projects on the topic of digital transformation.
• Digitalization projects in the city administration are focussed on efficiency and can therefore lead to faster and more transparent decisions.
• Municipal offices can, with the consent of the citizens, access their data already available in other offices (respecting still a high level of data protection).
• The city's employees are trained in the use of digital tools and the development of modern work processes and can implement the strategy. The management level has the skills and motivation to implement digital innovations.
• Politicians are supporting the implementation of the digital transformation, raising awareness among citizens and actively involving them.

Our steps towards the future:

• Cross-party formulation of a vision for the digital transformation of the city
• Development of an implementation strategy for the digital transformation with the involvement of the city's community
• Expansion of digitalization and automation in the city administration
• Expansion of the responsibilities of the programme office “Digital Transformation” to include an overarching management function for all digitalization projects
• Strengthening digital collaboration between municipal departments
• Ensuring digital participation for all: barrier-free access to digital services
• Promoting networking and collaboration between stakeholders of the digital transformation
• Expansion of the Digital Hub Bonn to include a municipal eGovernment lab
• Transparency in digitalization and more intensive dialogue with civil society
• Bonn becomes a pioneer in open source and the use of open formats
• Greater exchange with other municipalities/municipal service providers in order to take up and integrate successful initiatives and jointly develop IT structures
• Establishment of a fully-fledged committee for digitalization in the city council

3.2.
Making city administration more efficient

Bonn's city administration has many highly motivated and capable employees. Better structures, clear processes and digitalization can help to provide employees with the best possible support to work efficiently and in a results-oriented manner. Compared to other cities, the people of Bonn are not particularly satisfied with the services provided by their administration. The attractiveness of the city of Bonn as an employer must also be increased in order to improve the framework conditions for employees.

Our vision for Bonn:

• The city of Bonn is a top employer in the region and can recruit promising talent. The compatibility of career, family and care is ensured.
• The city administration processes citizens' requests quickly. Applications can be submitted and processed completely digitally wherever possible.
• The city administration works digitally and transparently. The people of Bonn value their administration and rate it very highly in surveys.
• The city administration works in a solution-, result- and impact-oriented manner and implements political decisions reliably and swiftly. Through agile and project-oriented work, it acts economically and sustainably.
• Outsourcing in areas that can be handled more quickly and efficiently by private providers is being implemented. The city ensures fair working conditions for the employees of the service providers.

Our steps towards the future:

• Consistent modernization of the administration's workplaces
• Launching a pilot project in which citizens can see the processing status of their applications with the city administration
• Examinating the various administrative departments to reduce duplicate and multiple structures
• Offering regular training courses and workshops on the processes and procedures of the city administration for political mandate holders
• Establishing an interdisciplinary working group between the City Council and the administration to improve cooperation and communication between them
• Organizing an annual open day of the city administration for citizens to promote transparency

4.1.
Introduce more direct citizen participation for innovative solutions and mutual understanding

In Bonn, there have been and still are promising approaches to involving citizens more closely. However, a close relationship between civil society and politics is often still lacking. More and more citizens feel that they are not adequately represented by politicians. At the same time, democratic politicians are facing challenges such as the rise of populist movements and hostility. It is time to find new ways to strengthen the dialog between politics and civil society and regain trust.

Our vision for Bonn:

• In Bonn, a strong civil society is actively shaping the transformation towards a vibrant, sustainable and transparent city.
• Dialogue formats and initiatives ensure the continuous participation and involvement of citizens, from the planning of projects to their implementation. A high degree of transparency is made possible for citizens in the tendering, financing and creation of publicly displayed artworks.

Our steps towards the future:

• Establishment of a regular Citizens' Council
• Transparency and cooperation in the implementation of Bonn's climate plan
• Continuous funding for civil society projects and initiatives

4.2.
Using municipal finances transparently, efficiently and in a targeted manner

Our city's finances are the foundation for a good and sustainable future. We want to make Bonn a city in which every euro is spent sensibly and transparently. We also need to move away from the principle that new tasks can only be solved with more staff. Improvements through more efficient management and digitalization are far from exhausted in Bonn.

Our vision for Bonn:

• The city continues to reduce its debt. At the same time, important investments in areas such as school buildings, mobility and digitalisation are being secured.
• Thanks to intelligent human resources management and innovative digitalisation, the city administration works extremely efficiently.
• The budget is transparent and clearly understandable to citizens and politicians. This enables informed participation and communication.
• The city's financial controlling department monitors not only expenditure and revenue, but also the efficiency of the measures financed.
• The city administration works with modern controlling systems, both analogue and digital, that are state of the art.
• The city of Bonn works with sustainable and innovative public procurement that respects human rights and minimises environmental risks.
• The city is proactively working to steadily increase the amount of funding it receives from the state, federal government and EU so that it can use external funds for Bonn's needs.

Our steps towards the future:

• Prioritising the financing of the city's mandatory tasks, such as the renovation of school buildings, reliable and high-quality childcare, affordable housing, barrier-free mobility for all, and modern, citizen-oriented administrative and service offers
• Sustainable financial planning – especially in the medium and long term
• Increased use of key figures and dashboards in financial controlling
• Review of voluntary services financed by the city in areas such as culture, social welfare and sport in order to establish clear priorities and create transparency through open political debate
• Optimised and comprehensible presentation of the digital budget on an interactive platform for greater transparency among citizens
• Regular information events and online discussions on the budget to promote greater dialogue with citizens
• Intelligent personnel culture and critical assessment of personnel tasks in city administration
• Strengthening sustainable public procurement

4.3.
Making decisions about art displayed in public spaces transparent

Art in public spaces is an important source of inspiration for democratic discourse and social cohesion. We see considerable gaps in the city's current transparency and conduct guidelines with regard to art in public spaces. This can lead to conflicts of interest.

Our vision for Bonn:

• A high degree of transparency is ensured in the tendering, financing and creation of public artworks.
• Art in public spaces represents all social groups in a balanced way.

Our steps towards the future:

• Transparent information panels on publicly displayed art objects
• Deliberate selection and monitoring of artworks by the art commission, which has the right of veto in the selection process

In Bonn, 71% of people now use environmentally friendly modes of transport such as bicycles, buses, trains or walking – an increase of 11 percentage points since 2017. Nevertheless, and despite measures to promote walking, cycling and public transport, the number of registered cars in Bonn continues to rise. The switch to alternatives to cars is hampered by insufficient development of the necessary infrastructure and a lack of connectivity. We are committed to promoting walking and cycling as the most environmentally friendly forms of transport.

Our vision for Bonn:

• The mobility transition must be carried out taking into account all future requirements, by listening to and weighing up all interests and to the greatest possible satisfaction of all residents.
• Moderated dialogue formats and transparent decision-making processes lead to fair and pragmatic solutions that enjoy the necessary acceptance among citizens for the inevitable changes that lie ahead.
• An improved mobility concept is based on measurable facts.
• Footpaths are attractively designed, and both the width of the path and the condition of the surface, as well as accessibility, are designed in such a way that walking routes are accepted and used.
• Bonn has a network of cycle paths that provides safe, continuous connections in an east-west and north-south direction, as well as between the city's districts, all year round.
• There are as few cars as possible in the city centre, because people can easily reach it with attractive alternatives to the car. Those who have to drive can move around the city centre without any problems thanks to less car-based private transport.
• DTransport planning supports the ‘15-minute city’, where everything you need can be reached within a quarter of an hour.

Our steps towards the future:

• Construction of a fourth Rhine bridge exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists
• Slow zones and clearly marked parking areas for e-scooters
• Consistent prioritisation of traffic lights for pedestrians and cyclists
• Improved intersection design for traffic calming and focus on pedestrians and cyclists
• Creating small ‘oases of relaxation’ for pedestrians
• Short waiting times and hassle-free travel on public transport
• Improved local transport network through the creation of new express bus routes to the surrounding area and the expansion of the existing tram network
• Promotion of cycle highways as main axes of the cycle path network
• Year-round lighting of cycle paths and improved cycle path markings
• Creation of secure and convenient parking facilities for bicycles
• Further development of the concept of economic zones (marked parking areas for delivery traffic, craftspeople and service providers)
• Promotion of parking in the neighbourhood, e.g. by opening up company and supermarket car parks at night
• Strengthening park-and-ride services
• Open up environmental lanes for taxis, car-sharing vehicles, S-pedelecs and electric mopeds
• Promotion of car sharing services
• Pick-up and drop-off zones for schoolchildren to relieve traffic congestion around schools

Volt is convinced that a sustainable social market economy can create the greatest possible prosperity for all. Although support mechanisms for economic development in Bonn are currently diverse, they are not proactive enough and lack sufficient thematic focus. Existing support services should be made even more targeted. In addition, the tourism sector, with its great potential for Bonn and the region, should be promoted more strategically.

Our vision for Bonn:

• Bonn's city centre is lively, and attractive shopping centres in the neighbourhoods stimulate the local community and economy.
• People from the surrounding area appreciate Bonn as a place for shopping and experiences.
• The municipal economic development agency acts in an agile, targeted and future-oriented manner.
• Private sector players are efficiently supported by the municipal administration and are not hindered by bureaucratic burdens.
• Young entrepreneurs, academics and civil society in Bonn are networking and promoting local innovation.
• Bonn is a popular destination for international, national and regional tourists.

Our steps towards the future:

• Establishment of a ‘round table on bureaucracy reduction’ in which administration, business and politics develop joint proposals for simplifying bureaucratic processes
• Further financial support for the sustainability hub and expansion to include support for start-ups and pilot projects
• Pilot project to establish ‘micro-depots’ for low-emission logistics on the ‘last mile’ to customers
• Designation of sufficient new commercial areas
• Development of a detailed implementation strategy for Bonn's Tourism Vision 2030, including improvement of the website and a social media advertising campaign
• Creation of a central office for the implementation of the Bonn tourism strategy

7.1.
Making housing affordable for everyone again

Almost 46% of Bonn residents spend more than 30% of their income on rent. Many families and young people have problems finding affordable housing, while older people often live in large apartments that are not suitable for seniors. Homelessness affects a good one percent of the population.

Our vision for Bonn:

• Everyone should spend a maximum of 30 percent of their income on housing – including ancillary costs and excluding consumption costs.
• Every person in Bonn’s households has their own room.
• There are affordable flats of all sizes, from single flats to flats for large families.
• Our buildings generate as little CO2 emissions per inhabitant per year as possible throughout their entire life cycle.
• Aspects such as environmental/climate protection and affordable housing are carefully weighed against each other.
• Those who wish to downsize in their senior age should be able to remain in their social environment while living in age-appropriate, barrier-free accommodation.
• We have a good balance between residential and office space. Living and working have moved closer together.

Our steps towards the future:

• Continuous development of a permanent stock of affordable municipal housing through the purchase of undeveloped land by the urban development company and making these sites available to the municipal housing associations.
• Support for downsizing living space for senior citizens
• Facilitating building permits for additional flats in single-family homes
• Organisation of modern urban planning and building construction competitions for large-scale projects
• Demolition and new construction of buildings only if this results in significant densification on sealed surfaces
• Linking the approval for building office space to building living space (at least three square metres of living space must be created for every square metre of office space)

7.2.
Enabling education and learning from early childhood to old age

We see education as a lifelong learning process. The state must also support parents in their responsibility to raise their children to become responsible citizens. This requires good learning conditions and individual support.

Our vision for Bonn:

• The city has access to a well-qualified workforce.
• The existing legal entitlement to a kindergarten place from the first year of life has been implemented. The demand for places for children under three years old as well as for 45-hour places for all age groups is met.
• Parent contributions for daycare centers are adjusted as fairly as possible according to the income of the parents/guardian, i.e., the calculation of contributions is dynamic.
• The legal entitlement to a place in the “open all-day school” has been implemented in Bonn.
• Multiprofessional teams support and promote children and adolescents comprehensively in their learning and development process.
• The backlog of investments in educational buildings has been significantly reduced, and all municipal learning spaces are designed to serve individual knowledge growth, both in analog and digital forms.
• Schools, teachers, and students are fully equipped digitally. All offerings and obligations in school life can be accessed by everyone.
• The politics is guided by the real needs of educational institutions and maintains close exchange with the education sector.

Our steps towards the future:

• Fair financial compensation during the training of educators
• Promotion of housing for trainees
• Expansion of volunteer work and mini-job solutions in daycare centers
• Expansion of cooperation in training for lacking occupations in daycare centers as well as practice-integrated training (PIA) for educators
• Mandatory integration of funding programs into daycare center concepts
• Equipping each school (primarily elementary schools) with social workers
• Rotation of meetings from the Bonn City Council's Education Committee to schools and other educational institutions: to promote more direct and intensive communication between politics and school administrators
• Utilization of funding opportunities from the Federal Digital Pact 2.0 with the goal of nationwide establishment of tablet classes and student tablets for use at home
• Provision of digital devices for teachers, including professional IT support
• Expansion of the municipal “BONNEUM” center for digital learning as well as training, further education, and professional development for educators
• Support for educational platforms and initiatives to promote digital education across all age groups
• Expansion of cooperation between kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools at the European level

7.3.
Celebrating diversity, living equal opportunities, strengthening social participation

Ending discrimination requires targeted measures to break down prejudices. Through education, awareness-raising and legal frameworks, we can create an inclusive society in which diversity is valued. Comprehensive strategies are also needed to combat disadvantage and poverty.

Our vision for Bonn:

• In our city society, equality, equal opportunities, and participation for all are guaranteed.
• By reducing barriers and promoting inclusion, every individual is heard and valued.
• Queer, trans, and intersex persons are respected in our community.
• The loneliness of seniors is countered through attractive communication and participation opportunities.
• Our community is characterized by cultural and religious diversity. Any form of racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia is not tolerated.
• No one in Bonn – especially children – should have to live in poverty.

Our steps towards the future:

• Introduction of gender-neutral toilets in urban and public areas
• Expansion of street social work for youth and young adults
• Implementation of a pilot project “Multi-Religion Daycare,” where three to four religious organizations from different faiths operate their own daycare centers while promoting understanding between religions for children and parents
• Promotion of intergenerational houses
• Expansion of accessibility in public spaces
• Introduction of a first aid app to notify medically trained laypersons to increase survival rates in cases of cardiac arrest
• Introduction of community paramedics for non-serious emergency calls to relieve regular emergency teams and conserve financial resources
• Gender budgeting in the city’s financial planning to reduce inequalities and achieve a fairer distribution of resources
• Provision of social housing for a “Housing-First” pilot project for homeless people

8.1.
City of villages

Bonn rightly deserves the title ‘city of villages’: many of our districts have grown historically and tend to have a village-like character. These places usually have their own club and social life and their own sense of community. Local citizens' associations are striving to restore the former dynamism that has suffered in some districts as a result of increasing urbanisation.

Our vision for Bonn:

• In our city society, there is social cohesion that makes Bonn livable and human.
• All people are actively involved and integrated into their neighborhoods. The districts are characterized by an active community life.
• Bridges are built between different population groups. In every district, there are so-called “Third Places” that encourage intergenerational and cross-social interactions.
• Bonn is a city of short distances. All everyday needs can be met on foot within one's own neighborhood.

Our steps towards the future:

• Promotion of inclusive projects and initiatives that foster exchange and understanding between people
• Active neighborhood management through district coordinators who network local actors and specifically involve residents
• Support in maintaining or establishing community spaces

8.2.
Encouraging young and old to participate in sports and exercise

Bonn is known for its excellent support of elite sports. However, when it comes to recreational sports, the city must make considerable efforts to provide modern and affordable sports and exercise facilities in all neighbourhoods.

Our vision for Bonn:

• A modern, sustainable, and cost-effective sports infrastructure provides all residents with easy access to exercise and community activities.
• Targeted and consistent action by the city administration enables the resolution of the backlog in renovations.
• The sports facilities necessary for competitive sports that meet the requirements are available to clubs.
• Community sporting exchanges with our European neighbors are being promoted more strongly.

Our steps towards the future:

• Continuation of the planned renovation of the Frankenbad and Melbbad
• Rapid implementation of plans for the Beueler Bütt and Ennertbad
• Ongoing focus on the renovation/maintenance of sports halls and gyms
• Innovative solutions for city-adjacent recreational areas, e.g., climbing walls, skateparks, multi-sport courts, and legal mountain biking trails
• Strengthening grassroots sports through the expansion of existing sports boxes and promoting sports in parks
• Expansion of best practices from Tannenbusch Gymnasium: courses for instructor licenses and lifeguard certificates at schools
• Promotion of friendly matches and tournaments in various sports in exchange with our European neighbors

8.3.
Supporting Bonn's colourful cultural scene

Bonn is a city with a rich cultural tradition that embodies both European and Rhineland identities. However, many cultural offerings are not sufficiently accessible to all residents..

Our vision for Bonn:

• Participation of all population groups in cultural offerings is ensured.
• A strong independent creative industry has been established as a driver for sustainable economic development in Bonn.
• Bonn has an attractive city museum to learn from the past and develop a vision for the future of our city.
• Through joint projects, initiatives, and platforms, we create a strong cultural European network.
• Cultural diversity and innovative cultural projects strengthen our democratic cohesion.

Our steps towards the future:

• Anchoring accessible culture in society, for example through cultural offerings in cooperation between private and municipal actors
• Expanding the independent creative industry through financial and organizational support from the city
• Integrating Bonn's cultural policy into the European space by increasing the utilization of EU funding and resources
• Promoting Bonn as a European Capital of Culture
• Optimizing the framework conditions for open-air cultural events
• Implementing and supporting major innovative cultural projects such as the Innovation Triangle or the Cultural City in the old Karstadt building
• Temporary use of vacant and unused buildings for festivals, ateliers, and street art projects
• Opening municipal cultural buildings to innovative cultural concepts outside their core functions, e.g., through an “Open Opera” concept
• Developing a long-term plan for the sustainable management of municipal cultural buildings
• Decentralized dissemination of city history through presentations in public spaces, such as at bus stops and schools
• Expanding the area of the Central Library for children under six years old and opening the library also on Sundays

9.1.
Securing energy supplies, protecting the climate

Man-made climate change is a reality. We in Bonn must also reduce our direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. The Bonn Climate Plan of March 2023 specifies the goal of climate neutrality and the path to achieving it. On the one hand, this goal is not ambitious enough: too much is being ignored in the assessment. On the other hand, it will be very challenging to achieve even this goal while ensuring social and societal cohesion.

Our vision for Bonn:

• Climate protection is a broad societal transformation movement. Citizens are aware of Bonn’s climate goals and contribute to achieving them in their personal lives.
• The renovation of municipal buildings reduces heat consumption and equips buildings with photovoltaic systems.
• Bonn produces a significant portion of its energy consumption independently, for example through seasonal thermal storage, geothermal energy, or waste heat from river water.
• Planning for the heating and cooling networks is complete, and the implementation of these plans is progressing steadily.
• The expansion of Bonn’s power grids keeps pace with growing demand, ensuring there are no restrictions on connecting heat pumps, charging stations, or solar systems.
• The city of Bonn ensures that all residents can cope with climate protection measures and supplements gaps in relevant European, federal, and state programs with its own initiatives.

Our steps towards the future:

• Further development of Bonn’s climate plan, taking into account current knowledge and developments
• Integration of climate protection as a cross-cutting task across all policy areas
• Rapid expansion of the power grid within Bonn, including local distribution stations, as well as the expansion of heating networks
• Climate planning across borders and seasons — cooperation with neighboring municipalities and exploration of possibilities for large seasonal thermal storage
• Consistent support for craft and specialized companies in climate-relevant sectors through smart zoning plans and active economic development
• Implementation of the climate sponsorships introduced by Volt in the climate plan, enabling local clubs, organizations, or citizen energy projects to promote climate protection in their neighborhoods through projects and events

9.2.
Preserving our habitat

In a time of ecological and social upheaval, we must take responsibility for creating a sustainable and liveable city. We want to protect natural habitats, promote biodiversity and reduce CO₂ emissions. In this way, we will create a healthy and resilient basis for life for all Bonn residents.

Our vision for Bonn:

• The city promotes a balanced land use between urbanized areas and natural spaces.
• Transparent planning processes enable early consideration of climate and nature conservation needs.
• Smart technologies and intelligent waste and water management optimize resource use.
• Bonn is a model for sustainable urban development across Europe.

Our steps towards the future:

• Proactive consideration of nature and urban climate in city planning from the very beginning within all planning procedures
• Prioritization of water management and the “sponge city concept”
• Heat adaptation – preventing urban heat buildup – through measures such as greening, permeable surfaces, light-colored facades, and public drinking fountains
• Prioritized development of the heat action plan for immediate city measures during severe heat events
• Utilization of smart city solutions for environmental monitoring, e.g., sensors measuring air quality, temperature, or rainfall
• Intelligent waste management through a digital system for monitoring waste containers.
• Implementation of the single-use packaging tax
• Establishment of a digital platform to promote sustainable consumption that helps individuals make conscious and environmentally friendly decisions
• Promotion of community gardens and urban gardening
• Implementation of citizen-led nature conservation projects in cooperation with local environmental organizations