First mini-public in Hamburg
For a long time, Hamburg was the only German state where a mini-public had never been held. That changed in 2026.
In the Hamburg district of Blankenese, the aim is to improve the quality of life and living conditions whilst revitalising the town centre. A key factor in achieving this is mobility in and around the town centre.
24 Citizens’ Jury members
To examine these issues from the citizens’ perspective, the Altona District Office had set up a Citizens’ Jury. Over the course of three sessions, 24 randomly selected residents from Blankenese and neighbouring districts developed scenarios and recommendations for the future development of mobility in Blankenese.
In February 2026, three mini-public meetings took place, during which participants discussed the challenges, opportunities and conflicts surrounding mobility in Blankenese town centre. The topics ranged from cycling and walking to public transport, parking management and the quality of the public environment. The jury members were able to set their own priorities. Together, they developed concrete scenarios and proposals for measures.
Accompanying youth participation
In addition, an accompanying youth participation initiative took place. This involved workshops with school classes, in which young people developed their own perspectives on mobility in Blankenese town centre. A delegation of young people was able to present the results of the youth participation to the Citizens’ Jury and review them again later in the process.
Four key objectives for Blankenese
The Blankenese Citizens’ Jury has developed and formulated four key objectives for the town centre of the district:
- The station as a safe transport hub: Blankenese station and its surroundings are to be designed to be clearly laid out and accessible for all modes of transport. This includes designated parking areas for e-scooters, a drop-off zone for cars and more secure bicycle parking spaces.
- An attractive town centre with a high quality of life: Bahnhofstraße and the market square should become more liveable. Suggestions include more seating, additional trees and a multifunctional use of the market square – for example, for concerts, festivals or outdoor dining.
- Reducing car traffic and promoting alternative mobility: The Citizens’ Jury recommends reducing through traffic, improving parking management and expanding sharing schemes such as car-sharing and StadtRad. A new bus stop for school transport was also suggested.
- Better cycle paths and footpaths: The infrastructure for cycling and walking is to be made safer and more convenient. This includes additional bike lockers, a StadtRAD station at the railway station and optimised traffic light timings for pedestrians.
Results presented to the District Council
Following the conclusion of the Citizens’ Jury, its citizens’ report was presented to the Mobility Committee of the Altona District Council on 1 June 2026. Politicians and the administration are examining the proposals developed for feasibility and potential implementation.
In light of changing mobility requirements, the recommendations are intended to improve the quality of life and living conditions in Blankenese whilst also revitalising the town centre.
Mixed opinions
“With this city’s first Citizens’ Assembly, we have launched a genuine pilot project – a participatory process that is unique to date and has never been seen before in Hamburg,” says Dr Sebastian Kloth, Head of the Altona District Office. The Citizens’ Jury has actively contributed to making the town centre fit for the future and to highlighting the needs and wishes of local residents.
So whilst the district office is proud of Hamburg’s first mini-public, criticism is coming from the Blankeneser Interessengemeinschaft von Geschäftsleuten und Ärztinnen und Ärzten (Blankenese Interest Group of Business People and Doctors B.I.G.). The reason: the Citizens’ Jury recommends closing Blankenese’s Bahnhofstraße and/or Propst-Paulsen-Straße to car traffic on a trial basis. The interest group rejects the plan. It fears losing customers and the resulting loss of revenue.
B.I.G. not involved in the process
Many older people visit the doctors’ surgeries and shops, but up to 100 parking spaces would then be inaccessible, said B.I.G. chairman Oliver Diezmann. “A short-term traffic trial is like heart surgery without anaesthetic.” Blankenese has one of the few town centres with no vacant premises – partly because of its older clientele. Diezmann suggests taking the time to look for alternative parking spaces – but not on an ad hoc basis. According to the B.I.G., it was not involved in the Citizens’ Jury process.
In general, however, the B.I.G. welcomes the Citizens’ ideas. There is agreement on individual points, such as the call for a bus stop in front of the schools, greater use of the market square, or designated parking zones for e-scooters. Nor is the idea of a pedestrian zone on Bahnhofstraße rejected outright. However, this would require joint planning and a reasonable timeframe for any potential implementation.
When asked by the *Hamburger Abendblatt*, one participant in the mini-public gave a generally positive assessment, but also said: “A Citizens’ Jury is capable of much more than it has demonstrated. Its effectiveness depends on the amount of input it receives and the extent to which in-depth discussions are possible.”
Coalition agreement on mini-publics
The basis for the Citizens’ Jury in Blankenese is a coalition agreement between the SPD and the Greens in Hamburg. Following the Hamburg state election in 2025, the two parties agreed to “test the random selection of citizens in participation processes limited by theme and time, and to evaluate the experiences gained from them”.
As early as June 2024, the Hamburg Parliament had passed a Random Participation Act, which defines so-called “dialogic participation”. According to this, the purpose is “to identify interests and proposed solutions from the population regarding a specific topic or project”. Furthermore, the Act allows the Hamburg authorities to use residents’ registration data for the random selection of mini-public members.