Bundestag: What you should know about the federal budget 2026

The Bundestag has just decided on the budget of the ministries for this year. Another budget week? Yes, the first debate about the budget for 2026. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil used this for a kind of government declaration that could still sustain.

The Vice Chancellor and SPD leader agreed to the citizens of the Bundestag with “brave and sometimes uncomfortable decisions” of the Black and red federal government. “It will be exhausting, it will be challenging,” he said. “But I am sure that the people in our country have long since felt that we need far -reaching changes and that we will not work through or hesitate or lean back.”

Anyone who sticks to the status quo risk the loss of economic strength, social cohesion and trust of people, warned Klingbeil. “That’s why the status quo is our opponent.” And it has to be more than reforms in trippil steps, he probably said to his own ranks in the SPD. The paradigm shift begins with this federal budget.

Corner values ​​and conflict material

Next year, Klingbeil wants to spend more money than in this: specifically 520.5 billion euros in the core budget (2025: 502.5 billion). In addition, there are expenses from debt -financed special pots for the infrastructure and the Bundeswehr, so that a total of around 630 billion. However, some of his ministerial colleagues would have liked to have much more.

Klingbeil rejected multi -claims to billions of multiple claims, for example from Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder (CDU). Its ministry warned last week that a delay in many projects for the construction of motorways and federal roads was threatening- the federal government will not invest as much in the next few years as in the next few years. Klingbeil immediately answered the same way that Schnieder had to use its means effectively.

Conflicts are also available for health and nursing care insurance expenses. Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) wanted more money and warned of an increase in additional contributions.

Another billion-dollar debt

Klingbeil has so far holds his hand on his pocket, because the federal government is already not sufficient to pay for all projects: almost 90 billion euros in the core budget alone are to be made. In addition, there are loans from special pots for the infrastructure and the Bundeswehr, so that ultimately debts of 174.3 billion euros cost. The federal debt was only higher during Corona pandemic.

What is there for the citizens

The Federal Government promises relief, for example, through a higher commuter flat rate and cheaper energy prices. A family of four can save around 100 euros per year, the Ministry of Finance is calculating. However, it is open whether the planned tax reductions for the catering for gastronomy make prices in restaurants cheaper. The federal government is in the stabilization of health and long-term care insurance- but higher contributions are still expected here.

At the same time, the federal government is investing record sums: from the core budget and special pots together around 126.7 billion euros. The money should flow primarily into the transport infrastructure, i.e. streets, rails and bridges, but also into AI research, social housing, modern hospitals, fiber optic cables and climate protection.

The federal police are to receive 1,000 additional police officers, the Bundeswehr up to 10,000 additional soldiers. Around 9 billion euros are planned to support the Ukraine attacked by Russia.

Criticism of the opposition and the Court of Auditors

The Federal Audit Office considers the budget to be unsolide and demands major savings on Klingbeil and the other ministers. Core state tasks could no longer be financed from the income permanently, according to an expert opinion. “Rather, the federal government lives structurally over its circumstances.” If you plan to finance almost every third euro “on pump”, a solid finance is far away. Rather, there is a risk of debt spiral.

Union faction vice Mathias Middelberg said that the Federal Government was taking it seriously. “Of course, we will not be able to do this credit financing to this extent in the long run,” he said. Therefore, there must be savings and structural reforms for funding programs, for subsidies, but also in the civil allowance or other social security systems.

The Greens criticize that black and red has no recognizable plan for the future. There will be a “winter of disappointments” if the municipalities would not get additional money for investments in buses, railways and rails, warned Hausläter Sebastian Schäfer. Social security must be stabilized. “We need investments in our infrastructure, in future technologies, in climate protection.”

AfD housekeeper Michael Espendiller criticized that the citizens had no lobby and no voice in the budget constellation procedure, “but they are in the end”. Left-hand housekeeper Dietmar Bartsch said: “There is only one thing that grows faster than the armor expenditure, these are the debt. Your household holes are not holes like in Swiss cheese, there is only hole.” This will also not be possible with a citizens’ reform or economic growth that is still to be negotiated. Instead, wealthy would have to be taxed higher.

The household in 2025 was decided due to the traffic light fracture with a delay of several months and ultimately only applies for three months. This should not happen when it comes to household 2026.

The cabinet has already approved plans. The budget is doing two rounds in the Bundestag: After the first reading this week, the committees deal with the figures. In mid -November, the decisive meeting of the budget committee is then decided. This is followed by the second household week with the final vote on November 28th. If everything works, the household can come into force at the beginning of the year.

Future worries of the federal government

Union and SPD is already worried than the household 2026. In the financial planning. In the financial planning, a hole of 34 billion euros is placed for this year – according to Klingbeil, such a huge gap never had to stop any coalition. And it looks worse for the following years, among other things, because then the special fund expires for the Bundeswehr and the federal government has to repay loans in the Corona crisis.

“We have to pay back this money at some point,” said Klingbeil. “And this” at some point “was a very distant word for a very long time, but” at some point “now begins.” The household 2027 will only work if the loads are not passed on to a few, “but by finding a way that is fair and solidarity and in which everyone, and I will emphasize all, their contribution”.