Germany's Federal Minister for Housing, Klara Geywitz, is urging citizens to move from overcrowded cities to smaller towns and rural areas to address the ongoing housing crisis.

Geywitz highlighted that nearly two million homes in Germany are currently vacant, while major cities face a severe shortage of affordable housing.

She plans to unveil a strategy to combat this issue by the end of the year, emphasizing the potential of smaller towns that offer essential services like schools and healthcare.

Critics, including members of the FDP and the Left Party, argue that simply encouraging people to relocate is naive and overlooks the need for improved infrastructure and job opportunities in rural areas.

They stress that effective solutions must address the root causes of the housing shortage, such as bureaucratic barriers to new construction.