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1h ago

IW Report Says Germany’s €500 Billion SVIK Replaces Core Budget Spending

Auditors warn of weakened debt limits, underscoring rising budget tensions.

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Mit dem Sondervermögen sollte die marode Infrastruktur auf Vordermann gebracht werden. Doch jetzt stellt sich raus, Kritiker hatten immer recht. „Ich weiß gar nicht, wie man diese Form der Unseriosität nennen soll“, schimpft FOCUS-Kolumnist Jan Fleischhauer.

Overview

  • An IW analysis identifies five cases where SVIK allocations substitute core-budget items, including €18.8 billion for rail paired with a €13.7 billion cut in regular rail spending, yielding about €8.2 billion in fiscal space.
  • Further shifts flagged by IW include €2.5 billion from SVIK for autobahn bridges alongside a €1.7 billion core cut, €2.3 billion for broadband moved into the fund after previously sitting in the core budget, and €6 billion for hospitals now financed via SVIK.
  • IW also notes €10 billion per year from SVIK to the Climate and Transformation Fund from 2025, which it says results in little genuinely additional investment.
  • The Finance Ministry rejects the criticism, citing a planned rise in total investments to €126.7 billion in 2026, budget rules against double-booking, and assurances on federal road funding levels and Toll revenue shortfall compensation.
  • Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder says he faces a €15 billion gap for federal roads through 2029 as his ministry’s plan shrinks, while the Federal Audit Office warns the special rules have largely stripped the debt brake of its original effect.