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Cologne in discontent: 78% see negative developments and traffic as chaos!
A recent survey shows that 81% of Cologne residents enjoy living in their city, despite increasing dissatisfaction with traffic and the housing market.
Cologne in discontent: 78% see negative developments and traffic as chaos!
How do people in Cologne feel comfortable in their city? A current survey by the Forsa Institute on behalf of the Kölnische Rundschau and the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger provides information: 81 percent of Cologne residents like to live in their city, and it shows that the younger generation aged 16 to 29 in particular has the highest approval at 86 percent. Although the overall feeling of living in Cologne is quite positive, citizens also notice clear cracks in the cityscape.
The survey includes 15 sets of questions and was carried out by 1,002 Cologne residents aged 16 and over. While 51 percent appreciated the mentality of the “Cologne people”, only 3 percent rated the Cologne Cathedral and the carnival as particularly attractive. Compared to the 2017 survey, where approval for living in Cologne was still at 86 percent, there is a slight decline, which is partly due to negative developments in the city.
The challenges of the city
Despite the general satisfaction, 78 percent of respondents consider negative changes in Cologne in recent years, a drastic increase compared to 41 percent five years ago. Business conditions therefore appear to be getting worse. Older Cologne residents are particularly critical of the developments: 81 percent of those over 60 are dissatisfied with the city's development.
When it comes to the biggest problems, traffic, housing and pollution are at the top of the list. 81 percent see traffic as the biggest problem, followed by worries about the tight housing market (39 percent). The Cologne transport company (KVB) is also not doing well: 24 percent of those surveyed complain about unreliable timetables and cancellations, which fuels the feeling among many that the bear is tapping in Cologne.
Political perspectives and discontent
The dissatisfaction is also evident when looking at the upcoming local elections. According to another survey, 19 percent of Cologne residents are considering looking for another place to live. This represents an increase: eight years ago this value was 14 percent. The outgoing mayor Henriette Reker has a remarkable proportion of dissatisfied citizens at 69 percent; only 28 percent of people are satisfied with their work.
The voter situation appears confusing. Berivan Aymaz from the Greens, Torsten Burmester from the SPD and Markus Greitemann from the CDU score around 11 and 10 percent. What is particularly striking is that 41 percent have already decided not to vote for any of the candidates. This could have a decisive influence on the future political landscape in the city.
The look into the future
Overall, the survey reflects a mixed mood: 64 percent of those surveyed find no progress in urban development, and 15 percent say they no longer value anything about their city. Nevertheless, the positive aspect of life remains in the back of the mind, and many hope for improvements to come. Even if only 16 percent see progress in expanding the cycle path network, there are still reports of initial improvements in the transport sector.
A possible turnaround could be made possible through continued open political discussions and targeted changes in urban development. The people of Cologne now have to look ahead to the upcoming elections and hope that a breath of fresh air will blow into the city and that the numerous challenges will be met.