Overview
- Saarland’s finance minister presented a double budget totaling €6.5 billion for 2026 and nearly €6.7 billion for 2027 with permission for €175 million in new borrowing each year.
- Spending priorities include education and social programs, with about one third of the budget earmarked for personnel and projected staff increases in 2026 and 2027.
- The CDU criticized the plan as risking annual net new debt of about €90 million and potential loss of roughly €400 million in federal consolidation aid, while the SPD defended investment-led modernization.
- The Landtag opened debate and referred the draft to the budget committee, with a final vote expected in December.
- In neighboring Rhineland-Palatinate, lawmakers passed a €600 million supplementary budget drawn from reserves to support municipalities with €300 million this year and next, using a per-capita base plus needs-based distribution; only the AfD voted against.