Olympics in North Rhine-Westphalia: Referendum results confirmed

A clear majority has voted in favour of applying to host the Olympics in a referendum in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).

North Rhine-Westphalia to apply for Olympics

The region Köln-Rhein-Ruhr (Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr) comprises 17 cities and communities that are in the running to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. All referendums had positive turnouts, with two-thirds majorities, says the State Minister of NRW, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), according to tagesschau.

Voting in Cologne, the leading city of the application, ended on Sunday, April 19. With a voter turnout of 40 percent, 57,4 were in favour of the motion. Out of all participating locations, only the town of Herten was not able to generate the necessary voter turnout of 15 percent. They will no longer be included in the application.

Even though the referendum achieved positive results, opinions in NRW remain divided. While many believe that hosting the Olympics could generate international attention and opportunities for development in the region, critics remain sceptical of the high financial costs. Current estimations suggest that the games would cost 4,8 billion euros.

Controversy over 2036 Olympics in Germany 

Aside from Köln-Rhein-Ruhr, positive referendums in Munich and Kiel have brought the cities one step closer to application. A referendum in Hamburg will be held on May 31, while Berlin relies solely on the vote of the state parliament.

Germany’s applications for the Olympics have sparked public debate. The German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has called hosting the 2036 Olympics historically problematic. He refers back to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, misused by the Nazi Party for antisemitic, racist and nationalistic propaganda on an international stage.

Germany decided to seek the 2036 Olympics despite these concerns. According to Reuters, the German Olympic Sports Federation will leave it up to the Olympic committee to decide whether Germany will host in 2036.