Arendsee wins budget dispute: freedom for 2025!
On October 28th, 2025, the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel approved the budget of the city of Arendsee after months of blockade.

Arendsee wins budget dispute: freedom for 2025!
In an exciting turn of events in the budget dispute between the city of Arendsee and the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, there is good news: the blockade on the city's own budget for 2025 has finally been lifted after three months. As the AZ Online reported, there were initially difficulties when the Altmarkkreis did not approve the budget approved by the city council in July 2025. He called for the resolution to be withdrawn, which Mayor Norbert Klebe criticized as inappropriate and indicated that he would exhaust all legal means.
However, as the conflict progressed, the city council steadfastly stuck to its decision, which ultimately led to a legal dispute. Legal assistance proceedings before the administrative court were able to provide the local supervisory authority with information on the incorrect exercise of its discretion on September 29th. However, nothing happened for a while until the city followed up and on October 17th the immediate enforcement of the original order was lifted. But that alone was not enough to resolve the matter.
Positive turnaround and consequences
On October 23rd, the “remedial decision” finally found its way to the city, which overturned the Altmarkkreis’ decision and lifted the previously established blockade. Now the towns, clubs and initiatives in Arendsee can finally access their budget for 2025. This development brings a breath of fresh air into local structures and provides relief where planning and financing decisions can now be pushed forward again.
But the dispute over the budget also raises bigger questions. A well-regulated municipal budget is crucial for efficient and transparent administration, as shown Herfurtner law firm is presented. Municipalities in Germany are subject to strict legal requirements that require the responsible use of public money. This is regulated by laws such as the Municipal Tax Act and the Municipal Code.
Transparency and citizen participation
Proper financial management aims to ensure the continued performance of a community by presenting all income and expenditure clearly and truthfully. Municipal budgets must be made publicly available and it is recommended to strengthen citizen participation through participatory budgeting and public meetings. These steps are crucial to strengthen trust in local government and ensure that existing resources are used sustainably.
With clarity now available about the 2025 budget, Arendsee is on a promising path to take a new approach to financial planning and give citizens the participation and transparency they deserve. The events of these last few months clearly show how important it is for communities to handle their budgets responsibly and transparently in order to ensure long-term stability.