Council urged to implement directive safeguarding employees from ionizing radiation hazards
Brand Spankin' New Rules for Brandenburg's Parliamentary Pals
Starting January 1st, the allowances for Brandenburg's state parliament members will undergo an automatic adjustment, according to the wishes of three out of the four political factions, with a cap. The SPD, BSW, and CDU have drafted a bill to change the MP's law, setting a limit of 3.5 percent as the threshold, which, if surpassed, will cap the adjustment.
The majority of the allowance, officially dubbed 'expenses', will continue to increase in line with the income development for employees, with a smaller part following the consumer price index. Retirees can expect an additional payment equivalent to the inflation rate starting from 2027.
As for the rent for constituency offices, only the net cold rent will be reimbursed in the future. However, the maximum amount of reimbursement is scheduled to increase by 200 euros due to skyrocketing rental prices. The parliamentarians will have to cover the ancillary costs from their allowance. This architectural overhaul will result in an additional budgetary requirements of nearly 500,000 euros for 2026.
This year, the allowances increased by approximately 500 euros to about 9,800 euros per month. The automatic procedure for increasing allowances expired in mid-April, necessitating new regulations. The AfD argues against any automatic increase in general.
Since 2017, Brandenburg's parliamentary salaries have been subject to annual adjustments in line with the general development of income and consumer prices in Brandenburg. The state parliament suspended the increase during the Corona crisis in 2021 and 2022. The coffers were plump for 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The Alliance for Progress and Democracy (BSW) criticized the recent increase in monthly allowances, deeming it exorbitant with an increase of 5.7 percent. "These increases are absurd, as far as the BSW faction is concerned," said the parliamentary business manager Falk Peschel to the German Press Agency.
To curb the perception of a 'shrimp on the barbie' mentality, the BSW proposes an upper limit. "We would have preferred a lower value than the current 3.5 percent as a cap," said Peschel. "But this could prevent the spectacle of gargantuan increases like this year - therefore, the BSW agrees to this."
Let's delve a teeny bit deeper into the parliamentary salaries across the pond in Germany. In some cases, parliaments, like the Bundestag, adjust salaries based on the Nominallohnindex, which reflects average wage developments in the country, ensuring that the salaries keep pace with the economy. Other expenses, such as costs related to constituency offices, are often subject to change based on inflation, economic conditions, or policy decisions. Specific variations in rent reimbursements would depend on regional regulations and budgetary decisions. Always remember to verify any details with official sources or local news outlets to avoid getting caught up in a twister of rumors!
- The SPD, BSW, and CDU have drafted a bill to change the MP's law, setting a limit of 3.5 percent as the threshold for annual increases in Brandenburg's state parliament members' allowances.
- The Alliance for Progress and Democracy (BSW) has proposed an upper limit for annual increases in Brandenburg's state parliament members' allowances to prevent 'gargantuan increases' in line with the economy.
