Will Stuttgart 21 Citizens' Vote Block Development of Rail Tracks? - Stuttgart Citizen Initiative Challenges Railway Lands Development
A citizen initiative in Stuttgart, aiming to halt development on part of the railway lands at the central station, has collected 23,926 signatures. The initiative is awaiting the results of a review by the city's statistical office, which began in October 2025. The dispute revolves around plans to construct thousands of apartments on the site once Stuttgart 21's underground station is completed.
The initiative needs at least 20,000 valid signatures to trigger a binding citizen referendum. The review process, which may take until December, involves checking for duplicates and invalid entries. Meanwhile, the city and opponents are in dispute over when the three-month signature collection period began. Despite this, the initiative considers the petition a success and vows to take legal action if the city rejects the petition on procedural grounds. The initiative aims to preserve the historic terminal station, which has 16 tracks compared to the new underground station's 8 tracks.
The future of the railway lands at Stuttgart Central Station hangs in the balance as the city's statistical office reviews the signatures. With the initiative confident of reaching the critical threshold, the possibility of a binding citizen referendum looms. The outcome of this dispute will significantly impact the city's urban development plans.
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