Thuringia Left Sets Third Free Kindergarten Year as Soiree Condition for Double Budget
"Free Kindergarten Year Available: Doubled Budget Requirement" - Childcare offered at no cost for families receiving a doubled budget
Wanna know more 'bout the Thuringia Left and their demands for the 2026/2027 double budget? Well, buckle up, buddy!
The Lefties from Thuringia ain't no pushovers, and they're making their voices heard when it comes to the upcoming double budget. According to their representatives, if the state government wants to seal a deal, it'd best keep their promises and provide a third free-of-charge kindergarten year, starting 2027.
Ulrike Grosse-Roethig, the Left's education spokesperson, didn't mince words when she expressed her expectations to the German Press Agency in Erfurt. "We expect the state government to hold onto its promises," she declared, "and we want that free kindergarten year, which was part of the budget deal in 2025, tossed into the double budget starting 2026." In essence, it's mandatory to secure that third fee-free year, or else the Left ain't playing ball in this parliamentary game.
Now, let's talk about the current government, shall we? The last couple years in kindergarten are already gratis. The Left, being the champions of free education, wants to introduce a third fee-free year. However, cynics argue that this mainly helps well-off parents since kindergarten fees are usually tiered according to your income.
The government is busy drawing up the draft for the double budget, but they ain't got the juice to transport it through the parliament with their current majority. They're trading blows with opposition from the Left and AfD, darlin'.
The draft for the double budget ain't fully baked yet, though, since they ain't accounting for the expected share of the federal infrastructure special asset. This ambiguity leaves the fate of that third free-of-charge kindergarten year uncertain. The Ministry of Education mused that the discussion within the state government revolves around sticking to the financial ministry's guideline values and consolidation needs.
Now, for the Left to roll that third free year in, they'd need a change to the kindergarten law. Operatives from the Left have already submitted a draft to the state parliament, but it's been stagnating in the education committee. Grosse-Roethig ain't happy about the lack of a hearing, stating that if the state government fails to stick to the agreements made in 2025, it raises questions about their willingness to compromise for the double budget 2026/27.
The Ministry of Education suggests they're about to review the kindergarten law for language tests in Thuringian kindergartens. So, we'll see if the third free kindergarten year finds its way into the double budget or if it gets lost in translation. Stay tuned!
- Double budget
- The Left
- Erfurt
- Ulrike Grosse-Roethig
- State parliament
- CDU
- SPD
- Education
- German Press Agency
- Thuringia
- The Left in Thuringia has set a condition for their support in the upcoming double budget, demanding the inclusion of a third free kindergarten year, starting in 2027, a proposal that is currently pending in the state parliament.
- The ongoing debate about the double budget in Thuringia, particularly the inclusion of the third free kindergarten year, is not just a matter of education policy but also a political issue, with implications for general news and policy-and-legislation discussions, as parties maneuver for positions in the state parliament.
