Brandenburg's commissioner for savings now holds the title of debt monarch
A Shift from Savings to Debt: Brandenburg's Finance Minister Robert Crumbach (62, BSW) initially proposed numerous cost-cutting measures in the state budget. However, following public outcry and repeated revisions by the SPD and BSW, Crumbach now faces a record debt instead of the intended savings.
The original plan aimed to reduce expenditure in various sectors across the state, including infrastructure, education, and elderly care, due to Brandenburg's high expenses versus income. The proposed cuts sparked statewide protests when presented in April.
The government quickly responded, withdrawing one cut after another. "We've submitted over 60 amendment proposals for the budget," boasts SPD faction leader Björn Lüttmann (49).
Highlighted Reversals:
- 300 million for municipalities
- 7.8 million savings for teacher substitutes
- 7 million cuts for state roads this year
- 1.6 million less for the Medical School MHB by 2025
- 3 million cut in the care pact
- 300,000 euros less for consumer advice
To fund these reversals, Crumbach must take on new debts totaling 2.23 billion euros. "The announced savings budget has become a debt budget," quips CDU leader Jan Redmann (45).
What goes unmentioned is that despite the accumulating debt, Brandenburgers are still facing cuts:
- 341 teacher positions will be cut by 2026 - despite 3,500 additional students!
- 10 million euros less for municipal roads, and 7 million less for state roads from 2026
- Municipalities will be cut by 77 million per year
- The ambitious planned cycle routes will not be built
- The subsidy for food tables will be completely cut by the state
"The government is not utilizing sensible savings opportunities," complains CDU leader Redmann, "for example, only filling two new positions for every three that become vacant." SPD faction leader Lüttmann admits: "We have to continue to explain to the people that the situation remains difficult. Every year, the state budget is short by two billion."
In terms of the budget's constitutional legality, the CDU has withdrawn its planned complaint, and the parties agreed to hold joint hearings to address concerns[1]. The increases in debt and their effects on economic and social policies are still to be fully assessed, particularly in sectors like agriculture and food production[2].
- Despite the reversals on the initial cost-cutting measures, Brandenburgers are still facing cuts in various sectors, including education, infrastructure, and municipal roads, amounting to millions of euros.
- The controversial shifts in Brandenburg's budget, from intended savings to record debts, have raised concerns not only in politics but also in the general news, particularly regarding its potential impact on sectors like agriculture and food production.
