"Car-Free Berlin" initiative falls short of signatures for referendum

The "Car-Free Berlin" initiative failed to gather enough signatures for a referendum. The initiative collected 140,000 signatures, falling short of the 175,000 required. Organizers cited bureaucratic hurdles and public distrust as reasons for the failure. The proposed law would have significantly restricted private car use within Berlin's S-Bahn ring, sparking debate and criticism from political figures.