Berlin's CDU-SPD Coalition Faces Backlash Over $3 Billion Budget Cuts

Opposition criticizes significant reductions in culture, transport, and environment funding, while alternative financing measures aim to stabilize the city's finances.

• The CDU-SPD coalition in Berlin has announced $3 billion in budget cuts for 2025, targeting areas like culture, transport, and environment due to a significant budget deficit.
• Cultural funding will see a reduction of $130 million, with opposition leaders accusing Culture Senator Joe Chialo of failing to protect the sector.
• Finance Senator Stefan Evers defended the cuts, emphasizing that spending increases in recent years were unsustainable and blaming the previous administration for the deficit.
• Alternative measures, including tax increases, profit transfers from state-owned enterprises, and credit-financed investments, aim to cover a third of the shortfall.
• The budget plan, which includes controversial measures like higher hotel and second-home taxes, will undergo further debate in December but is unlikely to see major changes due to time constraints.

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