Overview
- Union and SPD negotiated an extra €1.7 billion, raising the planned federal loan for the statutory long-term care insurance from €1.5 billion to €3.2 billion.
- The top-up is intended to keep the contribution rate stable in 2026, with reporting citing the current rate at 3.6 percent.
- The additional financing is designed to cover an expected 2026 shortfall estimated at roughly €1.7 to €2.0 billion.
- A Vorlage outlining the increase was submitted shortly before the Budget Committee’s wrap-up session, with a vote scheduled for the night to Friday.
- Green budget spokeswoman Paula Piechotta condemned the late submission as a rush job, while the government classifies the loan as a financial transaction that must be repaid and therefore does not count against the debt brake.