• The draft budget for 2026 shows the highest ever depletion of the general reserve with a deficit of around 61 million euros - 8.62%.
• New record level of cash credit of over 520 million euros expected.
• A global reduction in expenditure of up to 27 million euros per year is still necessary.
• No loss carryforward and no tax increase for the time being.

At the council meeting on Wednesday, December 17, city treasurer Annekathrin Grehling presented the draft budget for the years 2026 to 2029.

The draft budget for 2026 repeatedly closes with an extraordinarily high deficit - around 61 million euros. As the equalization reserve will already have been used up by the 2025 financial year, this shortfall will be borne entirely by the general reserve. Our equity will be consumed by 8.62%.

In total, the draft for 2026 shows consumer spending of almost 1.4 billion euros, with over 206 million euros also available for planned investment projects.

"These figures illustrate the immense financial challenges facing the city of Aachen," explains Grehling. Despite the high shortfall in 2026, the budget can still be approved and, as things stand today, without a loss carryforward or tax increase. "This is not a matter of course in these tense times and, in addition to the use of a global reduction in expenditure of up to 27 million euros per year, it is also possible thanks to the planned assumption of cash loans by the state in the coming year, which will probably amount to over 120 million euros," says the city treasurer. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia has decided to take over around half of all municipal liquidity loans (as at 31.12.2023) by the end of 2026.

The City of Aachen is therefore expected to be relieved of over EUR 120 million in cash loans by the end of next year. This will strengthen equity and reduce the interest burden by the same amount on a one-off basis. "However, the improvements from the debt assumption will quickly be eaten up again by new debt if the municipality's financial resources are not fundamentally improved," explains Grehling. "But we can't do it without our own contribution either," says the city treasurer. One of the reasons for this is the global reduction in expenditure, which must regularly be combined with tight budget management. "Optimism is a must. It's not about ignoring problems, but actively looking for solutions and shaping the future positively."

In the medium-term planning, with positive earnings expectations and tight management, deficits of between around EUR 31.9 million and EUR 38.0 million are expected. Equity erosion peaks at 4.92% and is therefore only slightly below the statutory maximum limit of 5%.

"The 2026 draft budget makes it clear that our budget is on the brink. If we want to continue to drive forward the issues of the future ourselves, such as digitalization, housing, administrative modernization, civil protection, education and the necessary investments, we can't just wait for outside help," reports Lord Mayor Michael Ziemons. "We also need to realign and refocus ourselves and set our own boundaries," the Lord Mayor continues.

Next step: consultations with politicians
Before the final resolution is passed by the Aachen City Council on March 11, 2026, consultations will take place in the parliamentary groups and then in the district councils, the specialist committees and the main and finance committee.

Draft budget can be viewed online
The Treasurer's budget speech and the draft budget for 2026 presented for discussion can now also be viewed at aachen.de/haushalt . The city also offers the opportunity to browse the underlying figures in a user-friendly way with the interactive budget.