Berlin coalition talks: budget experts see little room for new spending

Berlin's difficult financial situation is making coalition talks between the Left, the Greens and the SPD harder, according to a report by the Tagesspiegel. The budget politicians of the three parties have set strict rules for the other specialist groups in a paper called "Bedienungsanleitung Haushalt", which was sent to all negotiation leaders. The broadcaster RBB reported on it first.

According to the paper, any plan that goes beyond the firm agreements in the exploratory paper must be financed through concrete reallocations, additional revenue or demonstrably available budget funds. The main aim is first to secure and spell out what was already agreed in the exploratory talks. The measures named there are expected to cost around 220 million euros a year. They include a rent cap at state-owned housing companies, a four-point plan for business support, more cycling infrastructure and bus lanes, a 9-euro social ticket, a free museum Sunday and the renovation of police stations and fire stations.

Further wishes can be realised only if the specialist groups create room for them. That means proposing savings in their own policy areas. One place to look is projects pursued by the CDU that do not match the three parties' priorities. Even symbolic cuts are encouraged.

The groups are not allowed to propose higher taxes or fees, as the paper says these are needed to finance the overall budget. Measures without counter-financing are conceivable only in justified individual cases. The group of chief negotiators will decide which proposals are funded and carried out.