SPD to Introduce Free Lunch for All German Schoolchildren After Election
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch told the Bild am Sonntag that the party is currently working on a concept that would implement the citizens’ council’s recommendation to provide a free lunch for all schoolchildren in Germany, from first grade to high school graduation.
This election promise aims to put into practice the citizens’ council’s advice on nutrition. Miersch emphasized the idea of a free school meal as a way to prevent direct health-related costs that the economy currently bears, citing the reduction of obesity as an example.
Moreover, the party leader sees the free meal as a question of integration, stating, “Sharing a meal is a value in itself. There’s a lot of social justice involved in that.” The Sozialdemokrat believes the federal government should primarily cover the costs, stating, “We know the financial resources of the federal states. Therefore, this concept will include a counterfinancing, so that the federal states are not solely burdened.” Miersch estimates the concept would allocate a “billion-dollar budget” in the federal budget.