BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Controversy in the traffic light coalition: politicians from the SPD and the Greens have accused Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) of blocking tenant protection. "Although concrete measures to protect renters were agreed in the coalition agreement and are thus on the table, Minister Buschmann is neglecting his homework and blocking the adjustment of tenancy law," said Christina-Johanne Schröder, housing policy spokeswoman for the Green parliamentary group, to the "Rheinische Post" (Saturday).

Among the possible measures were, for example, the lowering of the cap on rent increases, the extension of the rent brake and the expansion of the rent index obligation. Bushman had already promised a draft law for 2022, Schröder stressed. "The renters must finally be protected from the further exploding prices. Because in contrast to the falling real estate prices, rents continue to rise."

The housing policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, Bernhard Daldrup, also increased the pressure on Buschmann. "The situation in the rental housing market has long since required swift action and the measures have been decided in the coalition agreement, so are not subject to further negotiations," Daldrup told the newspaper.

Federal Construction Minister Klara Geywitz (SPD) had also made several proposals for better protection of tenants, but tenancy law falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. Germany is one of the countries in the world with the highest proportion of tenants and correspondingly the lowest home ownership rate. The exact figures vary depending on the type of survey./mi/DP/mis