Berlin Traffic Senator Ute Bonde (CDU) has called for a review of the provision of free student tickets and school meals in the city. Speaking to the “Tagesspiegel”, she stated that it needs to be examined whether all students truly require these services. While the availability of these benefits for socially disadvantaged families is unquestionable, the senator raised doubts when it came to more financially secure groups.
According to Bonde, the state of Berlin could achieve substantial savings if these policies were adjusted. Her administration calculated that eliminating the subsidy for the free student ticket alone could result in savings of €106.4 million during the 2026/2027 fiscal years.
Given the challenging fiscal situation in Berlin, the transportation senator believes that the state must reduce spending in certain areas. She emphasized the need for honest self-assessment: “What infrastructure do we need in the city, and what are we spending on consumer items?” Finding a political consensus on these issues, she hopes, could allow for increased funding for essential infrastructure.
The city is facing a requirement for massive savings in the coming years, projected to incur annual deficits amounting to several billion euros in the current and next fiscal years. While expenditures have risen notably recently, state revenues have not increased at the same pace.
This idea aligns with a proposal recently made by Stefan Evers, the new CDU lead candidate for the parliamentary elections. Evers has also advocated for the abolition of free school meals, stating that he cannot understand why the state should subsidize high-earning families who could easily afford a two-euro lunch service. If the school meal program were limited strictly to financially weaker families, the state could potentially save close to €100 million annually.
