Brandenburg Faces Backlash Over Potential Use of Pension Fund to Cover Budget Gaps

Critics, including unions and oversight bodies, warn against depleting the pension fund intended for public servants' future benefits.

Brandenburg's government is considering using its €966 million pension fund to address budget shortfalls, sparking widespread criticism.
The Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) and former Finance Minister Christian Görke argue that using the fund undermines commitments to public servants' retirement security.
The Landesrechnungshof (state audit office) has emphasized that the fund's purpose is to offset future pension liabilities and should be preserved for that use.
Finance Minister Robert Crumbach clarified that no final decision has been made, with discussions ongoing as part of the state's budget planning process.
The pension fund, established in 2008 and restructured in 2018, was designed to partially refinance the growing costs of public servants' pensions, which are projected to more than double by 2035.