Disagreements are escalating within the German parliamentary group regarding perceived shortfalls in funding for the expansion and maintenance of highways and federal roads within the upcoming federal budget.
Christian von Stetten, a CDU member of parliament and chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs, voiced concerns about the unwillingness of Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) to allocate additional funds for highway infrastructure. He stated that the current draft budget, slated for debate in parliament this week, requires adjustments. He emphasized that while the Finance Minister proposes the budget, it is ultimately decided by parliamentarians.
Earlier, Patrick Schnieder, the CDU’s Federal Minister for Transport, had previously highlighted a deficit of approximately 15 billion euros specifically earmarked for highways and federal roads. Schnieder warned that the lack of these funds could jeopardize numerous projects requiring construction permits by 2029.
Christoph Ploß, another CDU parliamentarian and member of the Transport Committee, echoed these sentiments, stating that it is unacceptable to cancel significant highway projects, some of which are already ready for construction. He cited the agreement establishing the special fund, which stipulated that additional resources should be directed toward infrastructure development. “I feel obligated, as a member of parliament, to uphold this promise” Ploß stated, advocating for urgent parliamentary revisions to the current planning.
Adding to the pressure on Minister Klingbeil, Gitta Connemann, the Federal Government’s Advocate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, emphasized the vital role transportation infrastructure plays for businesses, particularly in rural areas reliant on freight transport. Connemann, who also chairs the influential Mittelstand & Economic Union (MIT), argued that businesses expect not only the renovation but also the expansion and new construction of transportation networks.