State Association SPD - Saleh will park more expensively instead of reducing prices at meals.
The Berlin SPD is divided on the issue of free school meals. SPD fraction leader Raed Saleh opposed the new state leadership, who considers the discussion necessary.
"Giving up free school meals would affect the hard-working population," Saleh told the German Press Agency. "We're not talking about the super rich. We're talking about children of people who work in hospitals, at the fire department, or at the police."
Co-state leader Martin Hikel referred to the Hamburg model
Co-state leader Martin Hikel had called for looking at where savings could be made in the state budget on Friday. He mentioned free school meals as an example. Hikel considers the Hamburg model, where only children from families with low income receive free school meals, to be excellent.
Saleh sees it differently: "Instead of taking away free school meals from these children in primary school, we should rather adjust the parking fees in Berlin," he demanded.
"20.40 euros for two years is no longer up-to-date. I'm sure Berliners and Berliners will agree," Saleh added. "Such an adjustment would at least bring in at least 50 million euros a year. And the children of parents who work hard every day to keep their families afloat would still have a warm meal."
"In which city in the world do you pay 20 euros for two years of parking fees?"
The cost of parking for residents in Berlin has been a topic of discussion for a long time. The red-green coalition government wanted to raise the fees. "In which city in the world do you pay 20 euros for two years of parking fees? Is that fair? That doesn't even cover the administrative costs," Saleh said. "It would be a fair redistribution."
The Berlin SPD is the guarantee in the coalition with the CDU that there will be no social cutbacks. "The savings will be painful, but it won't be with a sledgehammer. Politics must make it possible to shape this process as socially just as possible," said SPD fraction leader Saleh.
Saleh: Coalition must prevent social cutbacks
"This coalition has the great task of lowering this budget carefully after the many investments due to the crises of the last years. They will succeed in doing this by avoiding social cutbacks and setting the cuts in the right places. And parking fees would be a good place," Saleh continued. He was SPD state chairman until May and has been advocating for fee-free kindergarten offers, free school meals for all students, and free public transportation for students for years.
The new state leaders Martin Hikel and Nicola Böcker-Giannini had criticized this "free culture" before their election as party leaders. With the billions in savings that Schwarz-Rot still has to make in the budget for the year 2025, the pressure to discuss savings potential in all areas is increasing.
- Raed Saleh, the SPD fraction leader, expressed his opposition to the new state leadership's consideration of cutting free school meals.
- In response to potential cost savings, Martin Hikel, a co-state leader, suggested examining the Hamburg model for free school meals.
- According to Hikel, the Hamburg model, which only provides free school meals to children from low-income families, is an excellent example.
- Saleh proposes adjusting parking fees in Berlin instead of removing free school meals, as it could generate 50 million euros annually.
- Saleh believes that the current 20.40 euros parking fee for two years is outdated and unfair, especially considering the cost of living for Berliners.
- Hikel and Nicola Böcker-Giannini, the new state leaders, have previously criticized what they perceive as a "free culture," including fee-free kindergarten, free school meals, and free public transportation.
- As the SPD guarantees in the coalition with the CDU, no social cutbacks are expected, with savings made in a socially just manner.
- With rising pressure to cut costs in the 2025 budget, the coalition must discuss savings potential in all areas, including parking fees.
