The Rhineland-Palatinate state government has planned around 1,900 new jobs for the next two years. Today the state parliament is debating the draft budget.
“We are investing in education and research, in climate protection and digitalization, in health and in internal security,” said Finance Minister Doris Ahnen (SPD) on Monday at the beginning of the presentation of the budget plans for 2025/2026.
The draft budget will be discussed in the state parliament today. The political groups can then request changes. The 2025/2026 budget should be finally decided in December.
See those Debate about the state government’s draft budget from 9:30 a.m here in the live stream of the state parliament.
High personnel costs
Around 37 percent of the planned expenditure goes to personnel costs, for example for teachers, police officers, university and judiciary employees. Around 9 billion euros are earmarked for this in 2025, and then around 9.5 billion in 2026.
Almost 1,200 new positions are to be created at schools in the country
The costs for around 1,900 new jobs that are to be created in the next two years are also included, says Ahnen. The largest part therefore falls on the school sector. Over the next two years, 1,173 positions are to be created at schools in Rhineland-Palatinate, for example to deal with inclusion tasks, to expand all-day schools and to promote language skills.
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487 additional positions are planned for internal security in the draft double budget. Most of them are with the police, but also with the judiciary and the new state office for disaster control.
Ahnen is planning to increase expenses overall
Expenditure in the next two years is expected to increase significantly overall – to over 25 billion euros each. Ahnen described the household as being in a good position. This will enable the country to respond to the pressing questions of this time.
More than one in four euros of the budget should flow into education. This is the largest single budget. Around 6.44 and 6.51 billion euros are earmarked for this over the next two years. The largest expense item is teaching supplies – i.e. the employment of teachers.
Municipalities in RLP receive more money through financial equalization
Another focus of the new double budget should be the better financial resources of the municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate. According to Ahnen, cities and municipalities will receive more than 4 billion euros for the first time from 2026 through the municipal financial equalization alone.
The draft budget also stipulates that the municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate will receive more money for the accommodation and care of refugees – around 20 million euros more next year than last year.
A new program to support selected municipalities is also planned. It has a volume of 200 million euros. For example, communities that are doing significantly worse than other communities should benefit from this. The money is intended to further equalize living conditions in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Public transport costs have risen sharply
The traffic light coalition also wants to provide more money for local public transport in the country in the next two years – an increase of over 190 million euros is planned for each year compared to 2024. The problem according to the Ministry of Mobility: The costs of public transport have risen so much that even with more money, a better offer cannot be created.
In addition to higher wage and energy costs, the costs for construction work on railway lines, for example, have also increased. The aim is to at least maintain the existing offer.
Help for Mainz University Medicine with debt relief
The draft budget earmarks 400 million euros for the partial debt relief of the Mainz University Medical Center – which is planned for 2025. That’s roughly half of the house’s debts, said Finance Minister Ahnen. In addition, there should be higher subsidies from the state for research and teaching for university medicine.
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More expenses than income
Overall, the traffic light coalition expects more expenditure than income. Spending of 25.16 billion euros is planned for 2025 – over 10 percent more than this year. In 2026, spending is expected to rise to 25.45 billion.
This compares to revenues of 24.22 billion euros in 2025 and 25.08 billion euros in 2026. Because expenses exceed income, the state government wants to draw on reserves next year. Loans amounting to 363 million euros are to be taken out in 2026 to close the gap.
