Financial difficulties in Thuringia’s second largest city Jena will reach its peak. The city government announced that this year’s budget gap is estimated at 56 million euros. Initially an annual deficit of 23 million euros was assumed. This is motivated by, among other things, a significant increase in social costs and a significant decrease in trade tax revenues compared to previous estimates. Assistance in the field of care and integration assistance in the youth sector has a very real impact.
Budget freeze for 2026 – what does it mean?
Therefore, a budget freeze should also be announced in 2026, he said. Details should be finalized by mid-December. The government has used the instrument this year. A budget freeze is not a spending freeze. Ongoing and legally required tasks remain unaffected. However, expenses that can be postponed or need to be reconsidered, for example new purchases, will be hampered.
How the country wants to help
For a long time, the city government did not just sue Thuringia about increasing financial burdens, for example due to increasing social costs. The blackberry coalition in the state parliament plans aid for municipalities in the draft budget for 2026 and 2027. Among other things, 61 million euros per year are allocated to finance social costs.
It is still unclear whether this will happen. Since the CDU, BSW and SPD do not have a majority in the state parliament, they are dependent on the left if they want to get the budget through parliament independently of the AfD. The alliance has ruled out cooperation with the AfD.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251126-930-343019/1
