Majority for new clinic building in Rastatt: referendum opens wounds!

Majority for new clinic building in Rastatt: referendum opens wounds!

In Baden-Baden it was decided on June 29, 2025 whether the new central hospital would be built in Rastatt. With a majority of almost 55 percent, the citizens voted for the construction of the new clinic. The Rastatt district council and the Baden-Baden local council had already spoken out in favor of the Rastatt location, which did not end the discussions about alternative locations in Baden-Baden. But the citizens' initiative "Yes! To the Baden-Baden clinic location" could not prevail and had to admit defeat.

Mayor Dietmar Späth, who sees the result as confirmation of the decisions made, is now calling for the project to move forward quickly. Health Minister Manne Lucha from Baden-Württemberg made it clear how important this decision is for health care in the region. The success of the referendum is also reflected in the voter turnout of 40 percent, which Späth sees as positive.

Results and reactions

As part of the referendum, various resolutions were voted on by the local council to support the construction of the clinic at the Münchfeldsee location. The vote was binding if more than 20 percent of those eligible to vote voted “yes”. The result is valid for the next three years. Rastatt District Administrator Christian Dusch was relieved about the clear vote for health care in Central Baden, while FBB parliamentary group leader Martin Ernst was disappointed at the result and preferred the Baden-Baden location.

Citizens' initiatives initiated the referendum through a signature campaign after the political committees had already decided in favor of Rastatt. But the topic has many faces. In addition to the political considerations surrounding hospital reform aimed at reducing healthcare costs, there are also concerns about the environmental and health risks of the new location. Opponents of the project raise concerns about contaminated soil and even the threat of the tiger mosquito, which has been identified in the region.

Prospects for the hospital

The reform of the hospital in Baden-Baden aims to reduce inpatient stays and offer more outpatient treatment in order to simultaneously improve the quality of care. The closure of the existing hospital is being discussed, while the new building in the Rastatt district is seen as a solution. Support for the new building project comes, among others, from chief physicians at the old hospital, who emphasize that rejection of the plans could set development back by years.

In order to preserve the delivery room in Baden-Baden, an exchange of districts is planned, which shows that those responsible are not giving up despite all the challenges to secure the region's health infrastructure.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the plans for the new central clinic will develop and what further discussions the citizens of Baden-Baden and Rastatt will face in the coming months and years. The decision may have been made, but the future certainly still brings with it many exciting questions.

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