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Cologne wants the Olympics: Majority of Cologne residents support application!
The majority of Cologne residents support the 2036 Olympic bid. Referendum planned for April 19th, infrastructure assessed with skepticism.
Cologne wants the Olympics: Majority of Cologne residents support application!
The discussion about Cologne's possible application for the Olympic Games is gaining momentum. A current survey by Forsa, carried out on behalf of Cologne City-Anzeiger as well as the Express, shows that a clear majority of Cologne residents are in favor of hosting the games. Around 57 percent of those surveyed support the idea of bringing the games to Cologne in 2036, 2040 or 2044, while 36 percent are against it.
Approval is particularly high among supporters of the CDU (66 percent) and SPD (58 percent). In contrast, the Left and AfD are skeptical, with 55 percent and 54 percent rejecting it. This survey comes at an interesting time, as the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia is coordinating the “Olympics on the Rhine and Ruhr” project. There is also competition from other cities such as Munich, Berlin and Hamburg.
Citizen participation and skepticism
The new mayor Torsten Burmester is a supporter of the Olympic bid and would like to include Cologne Cathedral more in the planning. A planned referendum on April 19th is intended to involve citizens in the decision-making process, although the date is still being examined. According to the survey, however, 64 percent of Cologne residents are not prepared to take part in discussions about the application.
There is also clear skepticism about the existing infrastructure for the Olympic Games, with 60 percent of survey participants expressing doubts about it. In addition, 53 percent reject the city's financial involvement, while only 39 percent are in favor. Even if there is support for the Olympic bid, the question arises as to how realistic the implementation is in view of such critical voices.
A long way to apply
The idea of bringing the Olympics to the Rhine and Ruhr is not new and has a history going back decades. The attempt to bring the games to Düsseldorf in 2003 failed because of Leipzig. The “Rhein Ruhr City” initiative was launched by Michael Mronz in 2016 with the aim of bringing the 2028 games to Germany.
Germany is not the only competitor. The international field of applicants is strong, with countries such as India and Qatar classifying the opportunities for 2036 as acute. Experts see more realistic chances for the Olympic Games in 2040 or 2044. Among the possible initiatives that the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) is considering, the focus is on the four regions of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Rhine-Ruhr. Political support is also essential and the approval of city councilors from the targeted municipalities is required.
The DOSB has announced that it will promote more citizen dialogues and participation by relevant groups in order to get a better sense of the mood among the population. Nevertheless, residents' concerns about the high costs and possible social displacement due to rising living costs are palpable. The path to the application is therefore full of uncertainties and challenges.
With the Munich referendum on October 26th, another important step is imminent, which could potentially have an impact on the entire application situation. It remains exciting to see how developments surrounding the Olympic bid will develop in the coming months and whether the people of Cologne will ultimately support this ambitious plan on a large scale.