German municipalities push for social spending reforms to safeguard disability services

German municipal associations warned that a looming €30 billion annual deficit is threatening local budgets and urged the federal government and states to avoid cutting services for people with disabilities. The Evangelical Federal Association for Participation (BeB) called for a nationwide campaign, "Nicht am Menschen sparen," to keep disability support funded while improving administrative efficiency.

At a federal‑state summit, leaders of the German Cities and Municipalities Association proposed that social‑care costs be shared equally between the federal government, the states and the municipalities, and suggested pooling resources such as school‑assistant services to reduce duplication. They also demanded a clear reimbursement rule (Konnexität) for municipal expenses, seeking a decision before the summer break to provide planning certainty.

Both groups highlighted that reforms to streamline bureaucracy and digitise processes could free resources without harming vulnerable citizens, stressing that cutting support would undermine social cohesion.