Overview

• Spending is set at €520.5 billion with €174.3 billion in new borrowing, leaving roughly one-third of outlays debt-financed.
• The defense plan climbs to about €82.7 billion as core research funding falls to roughly €21.3 billion and digital programs face cuts, including lower broadband support and no funds for the 5x5G strategy.
• The family portfolio totals €14.72 billion with Elterngeld at €7.51 billion, while the environment budget edges up to €2.85 billion driven by €1.54 billion for nuclear waste storage.
• Selected investments would be routed through special funds, including around €698 million for research ecosystems, €50 million for national space infrastructure, and €227 million from the KTF for battery research.
• After the first reading in the Bundestag, committees take up the draft as the Bundesrechnungshof highlights a €34 billion gap projected for 2027 and interest costs rising from about €30 billion in 2026 toward €66 billion by 2029, with a final vote targeted for late November.