Potsdam in turmoil: 2,500 citizens defend themselves against drastic cuts!

Potsdam in turmoil: 2,500 citizens defend themselves against drastic cuts!

Potsdam, Deutschland - On March 22, 2025, more than 2,000 people in Potsdam protested against the savings plans of the city. The demonstration, which wore the title "The city is all! Instead of saving Potsdam: more money for social affairs, culture, mass sports, public transport and heat transition", led from the unit of unity through the city center. The event was organized by the alliance "Potential for Potsdam", which is supported by almost 60 providers and individuals from the areas of child and youth work, culture, sport and social affairs. The participants expressed serious concerns about the announced cuts that could significantly affect their work.

The city of Potsdam is forced to save at least 50 million euros a year to consolidate the household. This happens against the background of an enormous budget deficit, which already led to an increase in water prices by around eleven percent at the beginning of the year and planned climbers in the waste disposal costs. The fears of the protesters are that the cuts of the city's social and cultural infrastructure are strongly at risk, which could also affect social cohesion, such as rbb24 reported.

demands of the demonstrating

The demands of the demo participants are clear: they want to receive and further expand a good, social and cultural infrastructure. This includes in particular the areas that could be severely affected in the intended savings. The organizers and supporters of the demo projects warn that the city's reduction plans not only affect the quality of life of the citizens, but also endanger the future of numerous social projects and initiatives in Potsdam.

The demonstration illustrates the discrepancy between the financial necessities of the city and the needs of its citizens. While the city administration indicates the need for budget consolidation, citizens and supporters of the alliance reject massive cuts and instead demand investments in the city's social, cultural and sporting offers.

This situation is not unique for Potsdam, but reflects challenges that many municipalities in Germany are confronted with, as described in the documentation about household consolidation in municipalities, which provides further insights into the topic. The continuing protests in Potsdam are a strong sign of the citizens that politics must take the concerns of the population seriously in order to maintain a lively and solidary city.