In Strande, voters rejected plans for a senior housing facility on the Auwiese and a community center at the Ankerplatz in two referendums on February 22. The votes were required after the Schleswig Higher Administrative Court declared earlier decisions unlawful. Majorities of over 55 percent opposed both projects.
The referendums in the Schleswig-Holstein municipality of Strande drew 1219 eligible voters on February 22, with around 1215 actually qualified. Even as voting proceeded in the gymnasium, the required 30 percent quorum was assured, largely due to absentee ballots from nearly one-third of the electorate.
The results showed clear majorities against both projects: 432 people (55.6 percent) voted against the community center at the Ankerplatz, with 345 in favor. For the senior housing on the Auwiese, 437 (56.6 percent) opposed it, and 336 supported it. Thus, both initiatives are rejected.
The municipal council had approved the projects years earlier but now faces defeat. Mayor Holger Klink (CDU) expressed disappointment: "We must thoroughly reconsider the consequences of these decisions." The referendums followed the Schleswig Higher Administrative Court's ruling that prior votes were unlawful.
The projects aimed to enhance Strande's infrastructure, but residents apparently prioritized other needs. The exact next steps remain unclear, as the implications must now be reviewed.
