Free school meals in Thuringia: dispute over funding escalates!

Free school meals in Thuringia: dispute over funding escalates!

On July 15, 2025, the Education and Social Association (BSW) and the SPD are calling for an immediate introduction to free school meals, as agreed in the coalition agreement. Dirk Hoffmeister, education politician at the BSW, emphasizes the urgency of this project. Matthias Hey from the SPD also emphasizes how important a free lunch is for many families. But the financing is in jeopardy.

Andreas Bühl, parliamentary group leader of the CDU, points out that the state government must set priorities in order to explore the financial scope. Hey, in return, points out that free lunch is a clear priority for the coalition. However, one central problem remains unclear: which ministry is responsible for the issue, as Education Minister Christian Tischner states.

Financial situations and budget negotiations

According to the coalition agreement, a gradual introduction to free lunch is planned, with a possible state subsidy being promised from August 1, 2027. However, Hoffmeister also proposed a social graduation, which was rejected by the SPD. Free school meals were also one of the central campaign promises of the BSW and SPD.

The discussion about free school meals is taking place against the backdrop of ongoing budget negotiations. The Thuringian Court of Auditors has determined committed expenditure amounting to 11.8 billion euros, which results from various laws and contracts. The current budget draft, which is being discussed in the state parliament, has a total volume of 13.75 billion euros. Finance Minister Katja Wolf warns of a structural deficit of around 1.3 billion euros for next year.

The minister demands that the country should not be allowed to “save to death”. The planned measures include repairing dilapidated roads and bridges as well as promoting companies and granting loans. At the same time, however, consumptive spending that does not create long-term assets should be reduced. Given the structural deficit, according to Wolf, it will also be difficult to finance free school meals in 2026 and 2027.

Political challenges and solutions

For the coming budget period, it is crucial that the free school meal plan is taken into account in the 2026/2027 double budget. Complex negotiations are currently underway, which are made more difficult by the blackberry coalition's lack of its own majority in parliament. Due to this situation, the coalition government is dependent on the consent of the opposition.

In return for supporting the current budget, the left have called for the introduction of a third year of kindergarten without contributions. These demands make it clear that the negotiations around the double budget for 2026/2027 are likely to be challenging.

Free school meals therefore remain a controversial issue that requires both political and financial solutions. The social significance of such a measure is undisputed, while its financial feasibility is questionable given the given framework conditions.

For more information on financial budgets and political discussions in Thuringia, visit zeit.de and mdr.de.