Cuts in the double budget: Saxony is facing social challenges!

Cuts in the double budget: Saxony is facing social challenges!

The draft of the 2025/2026 double budget for Saxony is causing considerable concern among clubs, associations and social institutions. Like that DGB Saxony reports, the budget includes major cuts that could negatively impact key social services. Representatives of numerous organizations are calling for bold investments in the future of the Free State and warning of the long-term consequences of the cuts.

Markus Schlimbach from the DGB Saxony emphasizes that the draft budget does not do justice to the current challenges. The areas of infrastructure, the economy, education and personnel are particularly affected by the cuts. Michael Richter from Paritätisches Sachsen points out that cuts in daycare centers could make it more difficult to combine family and work and could result in additional costs in the healthcare system and the judiciary. Andrea Hübler from the RAA is also calling for a reversal of the cuts that affect democracy work, political education and anti-discrimination.

Threat to social peace

The situation in integration work is particularly alarming, as Angela Müller from the Saxon Refugee Council points out. The proposed cuts endanger social peace and trust in democracy. Mathias Fröck, representative of the TU Dresden student council, emphasizes that the cuts will hit needy students particularly hard and could endanger both social security and education.

The DGB and other associations are calling for a quick agreement in the budget negotiations by the beginning of summer in order to avoid financing gaps. In this context, Diakonie Sachsen also comments on the situation and criticizes the fact that the draft secures central social offers, but leaves important future questions unanswered. Diakonie calls for more investments in social justice, securing skilled workers and combating poverty.

Warnings and inadequate strategies

Dietrich Bauer, CEO of Diakonie Sachsen, emphasizes the importance of a functioning welfare state, which is essential for economic security and social cohesion. Although the continuation of important programs such as school social work with 37.2 million euros annually and the youth allowance of 15 million euros are viewed positively, the stagnating structures and hidden cuts must also be viewed critically.

An outstanding example is the subsidies for low-threshold support offers in care, which will fall to 400,000 euros for 2025 and 350,000 euros for 2026. This is considered inadequate. Diakonie Sachsen also points out the lack of a strategy for recruiting skilled workers and relieving the burden on people in need of care. It has been decided to strengthen municipal integration work, but the significant cuts in central state programs are endangering numerous projects for social cohesion and integration.

In summary, it can be said that the threatened cuts in Saxony's double budget could have far-reaching negative effects on the social infrastructure. The DGB as well as Diakonie Sachsen and other organizations are therefore calling for immediate improvements and sustainable strategies to finance social offers and to ensure social participation.