Coalition breaks Bafög promise — SPD accuses Union of spending mania

The dispute over Bafög reform is increasingly splitting the coalition. **Research Minister Dorothee Bär has publicly questioned the student funding increase planned for July and speaks of a "comprehensive state-funded education" that the state cannot finance. This is causing outrage: The SPD is attacking the Union sharply and insisting that financing for the reform is already secured in the budget.

The Bafög increase was a central promise in the coalition agreement. Student associations are criticizing Bär heavily and calling on her to do her job. The precarious situation of many students is real: many work part-time to cover their living costs, while Bafög rates have not kept pace with inflation for years.

Coalition conflict intensifies

Criticism of Bär's position is sharpened by a comparison: The federal government's fuel tax rebate costs approximately 25 times more than the planned Bafög increase. Experts and associations are warning the Union against abandoning the higher funding and thus setting the wrong priorities. The SPD is suggesting that a failure of the reform could endanger the coalition.

In the background, the budget situation is deteriorating: there is a billion-euro gap in the budget of the Federal Employment Agency that the federal government must fill. But instead of discussing spending cuts in other areas, student financing has become a bone of contention. The conflict shows how difficult it is for the coalition to set priorities – and how quickly election promises come under pressure.