‎German municipal leaders call for €500 million ‘Loneliness Fund’ to strengthen social ties

Berlin, Germany — Local government leaders across Germany are urging the federal government to establish a dedicated €500 million fund to combat loneliness and social isolation, warning that the country could be heading into what they describe as a “decade of loneliness.”
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‎André Berghegger, chief executive of the German Association of Cities and Municipalities, told German media that the rising prevalence of loneliness is a serious societal concern that cannot be addressed by volunteer efforts alone. He emphasized that financial support must not be the barrier to effective action.
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‎“The fight against loneliness must not fail because of a lack of funding,” Berghegger said, calling for the creation of a “Loneliness Fund” with a total of €500 million earmarked for the current legislative term.
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‎The proposed fund would help support and expand community-oriented services and spaces that encourage social interaction and connection.
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‎ These include public libraries, adult education centers (Volkshochschulen), and other local institutions that offer low-threshold, reliable meeting places for people of all ages.
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‎Berghegger stressed that such places should be open consistently, without closures due to holidays or staffing shortages, so that residents can depend on them as spaces for community engagement.
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‎Municipal leaders say that the fund could be financed through a mix of European Union funds, unused federal budget appropriations, and internal reallocations within existing government budgets, minimizing the need for new spending.
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‎Loneliness, long seen as an issue mainly affecting older adults, is now increasingly recognized as a cross-generational problem that affects young and working-age people as well, according to Berghegger.
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‎He warned that unchecked social isolation can erode social cohesion and potentially contribute to alienation and even radicalization.
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‎The proposal has drawn attention ahead of broader national discussions on social policy, with supporters saying that strengthening community bonds is key to addressing wider trends of individualization in German society.