Berlin

Clinical researchers have responded with alarm to a clause in the new Berlin state government's coalition agreement that pledges to close the medical faculty of the Free University and to remove university status from its Benjamin Franklin Clinic.

Over 4,500 researchers, clinicians, patients and members of the public demonstrated against the closure last Friday.

Since its reunification, Berlin has been home to two major research hospitals. The second is located at the Charité Hospital, and belongs to east Berlin's Humboldt University. Berlin's post-reunification governments have already rationalized many of the duplicated departments (see Nature 380, 278; 1996). In its election campaign, the PDS — the reformed communist party, which has now formed a governing coalition with the Social Democrats — proposed a merger of the two faculties, but neither coalition party had previously suggested that either should be closed entirely.

Closure of the Free University's medical school would save Berlin 95 million euros (US$85 million) per year, according to the new government. But Martin Paul, the faculty's dean, says that closure would also mean the loss of 25 million euros that researchers bring in as external grants every year, as well as the jobs of 500 highly qualified staff.

The new science and culture minister, the PDS's Thomas Flierl, has publicly confirmed that he intends to proceed with the plan, although since the demonstration his party has indicated a willingness to consider arguments against closure.

Speculation that the decision to close the Free University's medical school is being driven by east–west rivalry has been fired by a lack of information about the coalition's true motive, according to Paul.