Members of the German Parliament’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) parliamentary group are seeking substantial revisions to the proposed federal transport budget during upcoming negotiations. Stephan Stracke, deputy parliamentary group leader, expressed concern that despite the establishment of a special fund for infrastructure, all transport sectors are currently underfunded.
Stracke argues that, under the current plan, new construction and expansion projects are unfeasible and insists that all projects ready for implementation must receive funding. He emphasized public expectation that the governing coalition prioritize improvements to the nation’s transport infrastructure in the coming years.
According to Stracke, the draft 2026 budget, which will be debated in Parliament from September, reveals a funding gap of approximately 20 billion euros through 2029. He noted significant shortfalls in planned funding for roads, followed by rail and waterways.
Concerns are also being voiced by the Green party. Paula Piechotta, a Green party budget spokesperson, stated that only a fraction of the special infrastructure fund is actually allocated to transport projects. She also criticized the increasing complexity and lack of transparency in the federal budget.
Piechotta highlighted a recent development where substantial funds are being allocated to the defense budget for transport projects considered part of the nation’s military infrastructure network. She cautioned that this could lead to a shift of construction, expansion and renovation projects into the defense ministry’s budget if funding isn’t available through traditional transport channels or the special fund, potentially distorting the priorities and scope of the military infrastructure network.
