#466: Strike, rent cap, LAP, Tesla
Rhineland Karneval hits Berlin this week
Dear 20 Percent,
Berlinale time. I never manage to catch more than one or two movies at our biggest film festival but every time I do, a tingle goes down my spine. The festival gives me the pleasant feeling that Berlin isn’t just some ugly mass of buildings built on a swamp with endless winters.
Rather, it’s a place of culture, a place that attracts thousands of film people from warmer, sexier places. A place with an A-list festival — third in the world after Cannes and Venice.
Every year a few international stars show up at the Berlinale and the local press salivates. For me the true stars are the directors and actors you’ve never heard of, the ones you’ll discover by randomly dipping your toes into the programme of hundreds of films from every corner of the globe.
Check out the Panorama or Forum sections and let yourself be surprised and challenged by lesser or completely unknown filmmakers who often have to struggle to produce and distribute their artistically uncompromsing or politically risky work.
It’s a beautiful thing to behold. So go check out at least one flick between February 12-22. You probably won’t regret it. The festival runs February 12-22 but tickets sales began today.
And for something you definitely won’t regret but slightly less high-brow: a handful of tix are still available for 🧠 this Wednesday’s 20% Berlin News Quiz. (if it’s sold out by the time you read this, there’s another one on March 3 at Geist im Glas in Neukölln!)
Maurice
PS: Our latest podcast is out. We talk about much of the news below as well as the new AfD Berlin youth group, which looks a lot like the fascist old one, and why we like Berlin’s trash people.
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Rent cap update
National news but relevant for this city of renters: The national CDU-SPD coalition has reached agreement on draft legislation to extend the existing rent cap through 2029 and added a few updates. With new contracts, the rent may not exceed the local average rents by more than 10%. Exceptions kick in for first-time rentals of new builds, extensive modernizations and short-term rentals. Currently, landlords get around the rent cap by offering expensive furnished apartments. Under the draft, there will be upper limits on how much can be charged for furnishings and the age of the furniture will be a factor. Opposition politicians ripped into the proposal, calling it “toothless”. Green MP Hanna Steinmüller said: “If you want to stop the general rise in rents, you have to lower the cap limits and, above all, ensure that tenants can actually enforce their rights.” 🎯
Tes-laggard
The Tesla factory in Brandenburg isn’t doing so well. According to the plant’s 2024 annual report, it produced just 211,235 cars, well below that year’s goal of 287,000. The initial plan was to expand the “gigafactory” to an annual capacity of 500,000 cars. It only makes the Model Y, a mid-size SUV and employs 11,000. Tesla says it is not planning layoffs. Yet. Any idea why Tesla’s not selling as many cars as planned - and why VW is now selling more EVs in Europe than Elon’s brand?
Running LAPs?
News from another company people love to hate: Berlin’s venture capital-funded LAP Coffee wants to become a giant global chain. Ralph Hage, the co-founder of the discount-yet-kinda-good coffee chain that many Berliners have strong feelings about, says: “Ultimately, our goal is to build a German player that is as big as Starbucks.” Right now, LAP has just 26 locations in Germany, Starbucks has 180 but about 39,000 globally. LAP, which wants to have 60 cafes in Germany by the end of this year, has its work cut out for it.
Strikes but not transport strikes
Trade union Verdi is calling on employees in kindergartens, schools, public administration, the police and fire service to hold another warning strike this Wednesday, February 11. The union wants a pay rise of 7% or at least €300 per month. No BVG strike this time, thank god – because maybe they understand that really pisses people off. Negotiations between the union and state and local governments go into the third round this week. “We finally expect an offer that does justice to the importance of public service work,” said Andrea Kühnemann, Verdi regional director for Berlin and Brandenburg.
🍺 🥨 Germany-wide news 🥨 🍺
🚨 Gas reserves very low, thanks to cold winter
🪖 Can Germany grow its military?
⚓ Two arrested over attempted sabotage of German naval vessels
🧑⚖️ Leftwing German activist sentenced to 8 years in Hungary for attack on Nazis
🧑⚖️Munich court prohibits Renault from selling Clio and Mégane
Events this week, curated by The Next Day Berlin
🧠 The 20% Berlin News Quiz Wednesday, 11.02, 6:30pm. Electric Social, Mitte, €4 Maurice hosts another fun pub quiz on Berlin trivia, news and music.
🍿Berlinale 2026
Thu-Sun, 12-22.02. Various venues across Berlin. €6-20.
400+ films across 10 days. Our guide covers the highlights (At the Sea with Amy Adams, Rosebush Pruning with Elle Fanning/Pamela Anderson/Riley Keough), politically urgent work (Roya made clandestinely in Iran, Traces from Ukrainian women survivors), and wildcards (Charli xcx's The Moment, Where To? shot in Berlin).
🪩 No_Stone: Circles 3 with Lyra Pramuk, Tarxun (live), Assyouti
Thursday, 12.02, 8 pm–2 am. Bar Neun, Kreuzberg. €10 minimum donation
Fundraiser for families in Iran and Palestine. Lyra Pramuk's devotional electronics meet Tarxun's psychedelic IDM live set (glitchy ambient and noise). Assyouti opens.
🎸 Garage Girls - Valentine's Day Special
Friday, 13.02, 11:59 pm–9 am (Sat). OHM, Kreuzberg. €15
Vinyl-only DJ Willow from London brings bossy, chuggy UK garage with distorted vocals and mind-bending blends. New residents Jana Falcon and Immy b2b Triqi, plus KENZA.
Factoid
Sorry, I’m a bit of a grinch about the Rhineland-style Karneval or Fasching or whatever you want to call it, depending on which village you come from. Something irks me about the aesthetically questionable costumes and odd customs like shouting “alaaf!” for no reason. We have great nightlife year round in Berlin and something for every taste and persuasion so why the need for this silliness? People from Catholic regions have been pushing their “fun” on Berliners since the 15th Century. If you must indulge your curiousity, Rhineland restaurant Ständige Vertretung will be throwing costume parties on two of the “fifth season’s” key dates — Weiberfastnacht (Feb 12) and Rosenmontag (Feb 16) — at Prenzlauer Berg nightclub Soda. Your chance to party like a (Rhineland) German!
🔗 🔗 🔗 Useful links 🔗 🔗 🔗
🎙️The 20% Berlin Podcast on Spotify