Marlon Käsemann: A Voice for Affordable Housing and Social Justice in Baden-Württemberg

As Baden-Württemberg prepares for the state election on March 8th, 2026, candidates are outlining their visions for the future. Marlon Käsemann, representing Die Linke (The Left Party), is a young voice advocating for radical change in housing policy, municipal finance and social welfare. This article examines Käsemann’s key proposals and his approach to representing the Wiesloch constituency.

Affordable Housing: A Basic Require, Not a Commodity

Käsemann firmly believes that housing is a fundamental right, not a vehicle for profit. He criticizes the current market-driven approach, citing the escalating rents in cities like Stuttgart and Freiburg as evidence of its failure. His proposed solutions center around significant public intervention:

• State Housing Association: Establishing a public company dedicated to building large-scale affordable housing and acquiring existing properties, prioritizing social need over financial returns.
• Finish to Land Sales: Preventing the sale of state-owned land to private investors, instead opting for long-term leases.
• 50 Percent Social Housing Quota: Mandating that at least half of all new construction projects be designated as permanently affordable social housing.
• Combating Speculation: Implementing a nationwide ban on property misappropriation and a strict vacancy tax.

Strengthening Municipal Finances

Käsemann acknowledges the financial strain on municipalities like Wiesloch, burdened by increasing mandatory tasks and debt. He proposes a fundamental shift in the financial relationship between the state and its cities:

• “Whoever Orders, Pays” Principle: Ensuring that the state fully funds any new mandatory tasks assigned to municipalities.
• Fair Financial Equalization: Significantly increasing and redistributing municipal financial equalization funds to support struggling communities.

Relieving the Burden on Low- and Middle-Income Households

Addressing the rising cost of living, Käsemann advocates for immediate and substantial relief measures:

• Abolish Daycare Fees: Making early childhood education free for all families, saving them hundreds of euros monthly.
• Free School Meals: Providing free, healthy lunches at all schools and daycare centers.
• Affordable Mobility: Working towards fare-free public transportation, and as an immediate step, introducing a nationwide social ticket for low earners, trainees, and pensioners at a maximum cost of 9 euros per month.
• End Energy Poverty: Banning electricity and heating cutoffs and establishing a hardship fund to assist those in need.
• Rent Freeze: Implementing a strict statewide rent freeze.

Childcare: State Responsibility

Käsemann strongly argues that the current distribution of costs for childcare is unfair, placing an undue burden on municipalities and parents. He calls for:

• Fee-Free Daycare: Making daycare free, with the state fully compensating municipalities for any lost revenue.
• Full Funding & Standards: The state assuming full responsibility for the costs of construction, operation, and personnel, even as also setting clear care standards.
• Training Offensive: Massively investing in a well-paid, nationwide training program to address the shortage of qualified childcare professionals.

Immigration Authorities: From Defense to Welcoming

Recognizing the overload faced by immigration authorities, Käsemann proposes transforming them into welcoming centers, with the state taking central control and financial responsibility. His immediate measures include:

• Personnel Offensive: Providing municipalities with earmarked funds to significantly increase staff and ensure decent pay, including mandatory anti-discrimination training.
• Central Digitalization: Financing and implementing a uniform, user-friendly digital system for applications, available in multiple languages and offering transparent tracking.
• Prioritize Right to Stay: Issuing a decree instructing authorities to exercise discretionary powers in favor of applicants.

Strengthening the Nursing System

Käsemann criticizes the profit-driven nature of the care system, advocating for:

• Remunicipalization & Profit Ban: Shifting ownership of care facilities to public or non-profit entities.
• Strict Personnel Requirements: Enforcing binding, needs-based personnel ratios through the State Homes Act.
• Training Levy & Tariff Compliance: Implementing a solidarity-based training levy and ensuring that state funding is only allocated to providers who adhere to collective bargaining agreements.
• Cover Investment Costs: The state fully covering the construction and investment costs for care facilities.

Vision Zero: Prioritizing Road Safety

Käsemann supports the goal of “Vision Zero” – eliminating traffic fatalities – but believes it requires a radical shift away from prioritizing car traffic. He proposes:

• Safe Infrastructure: Mandating structurally separated cycle paths and wide sidewalks, reclaiming space from private vehicles.
• Car-Free School Routes: Implementing “school streets” – car-free zones during drop-off and pick-up times.
• Increased Traffic Control: Increasing traffic enforcement to deter speeding.

Addressing the Skills Shortage

Käsemann argues that the skills shortage is often a result of poor working conditions and low wages. He proposes:

• Tighten Tariff Compliance Act: Prioritizing companies that adhere to collective bargaining agreements for public contracts and state funding.
• Solidarity Training Levy: Funding a training offensive through a levy on companies that do not invest in training.
• Reduced Working Hours: Exploring a four-day workweek with full pay to attract and retain skilled workers.

Climate Protection, Economy, and Social Acceptance

Käsemann emphasizes that climate protection and social justice are inseparable, rejecting the notion of a conflict between the two. He advocates for transforming the industry in a socially and ecologically responsible way, with strict employment guarantees and climate funding for those who need it.

Constituency Representation

Marlon Käsemann, born in 2006 and currently an apprentice, resides in Hockenheim [abgeordnetenwatch.de]. He intends to serve as a voice for tenants, employees, and the unemployed in the Wiesloch constituency, promising transparency and accessibility through a constituency office offering social and tenancy law advice, public disclosure of income and meetings, and active engagement with local initiatives and picket lines. [die-linke-rhein-hardt.de]