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Chemnitz city council rejects savings plans for winter service – safety comes first!
Chemnitz, October 30, 2025: City council rejects savings in winter service. Discussion about security and budget deficits remains strong.
Chemnitz city council rejects savings plans for winter service – safety comes first!
In Chemnitz, the discussion about winter service is causing a stir. On October 30, 2025, the majority of city councilors rejected a proposal to save money on winter service. As a result, winter service continues to be viewed as an important part of public services. The Die Linke faction emphasized that a large part of Chemnitz's population is over 60 years old and therefore depends on cleared streets. In the eyes of the AfD council group, the savings plans represent a “massive cut in safety”, particularly pointing out the relevance for emergency vehicles. The CDU pointed out that the affected streets are in districts with particular slopes, which underlines the need for a functioning winter service.
In this context, an SPD city councilor recalled a previous majority decision that wanted to limit savings “to the bare minimum”. Not all side streets are currently being cleared and residents' obligations remain in place in many cases. Despite the criticism, the arguments for winter service did not convince the majority of city councilors. Mayor Kunze was disappointed after the vote and highlighted the challenges the city faces.
Budget deficit and austerity measures
The budget deficit in Chemnitz is around 60 million euros for 2025 and around 113 million euros for 2026. The city is therefore under pressure to find savings in order to remain able to act. Planned measures include, among other things, the closure of wildlife gates, city libraries and a thinning out of the transport company's timetable. However, none of the proposed savings measures found a majority in the city council.
The uncertainty about the future handling of winter service and the associated savings remains a hotly debated topic for many citizens. Supportive voices for winter maintenance emphasize its relevance to the safety and accessibility of important services, while pressure on the city's budget remains unabated.