Gießen complains against Zensus: Missing 6,000 inhabitants cost millions!

Gießen complains against Zensus: Missing 6,000 inhabitants cost millions!

Gießen, Deutschland - in Hesse are under pressure after the results of the latest census cause excitement. A flow of complaints reaches the courts, because the population is drastically lower in different cities than previously expected. In advance, Gießen, according to Fulda, has now also filed a lawsuit against the State Statistical Office. This was done unanimously in the city council, and the decision could have far -reaching financial consequences.

According to the last calculations, Gießen must expect a decline in 6,000 inhabitants. This means not only a severe setback for the city, but also a loss of around 8.6 million euros annually, which could be obtained from the municipal financial equalization. The Mayor of Gießen, Frank-Tilo Becher (SPD), is dissatisfied with the discrepancy with the urban numbers and demands more clarity from the statistics. He is not only in this lack of understanding, because numerous other municipalities in Hesse are also affected by similar problems.

other complaints and larger connections

The situation in Gießen is also reflected in other federal states. Congregations in Baden-Württemberg fear significant losses in income in the municipal financial equalization as a result of the census results. The numbers range from a loss of up to 15 percent in some cities, with particularly drastic declines in places such as Jagsthausen, where a minus of 14.9 percent is recorded. The City Day calls for more transparency in the statistics office's calculations to gain more confidence in the figures determined.

The new census numbers will be included in the calculations of the municipal financial equalization from 2025. From 2026, they will form the sole basis for the distribution of financial resources. Around 640 municipalities in Germany have to struggle with at least one percent losses, while every fifth municipality even has to expect a decrease of over three percent.

reactions and outlook

The unrest in the cities grows, since the population numbers are not only important for financial equalization, but can also significantly influence the planning and development of the municipalities. In Hesse, this process is already in full swing, and the pressure on the city administrations to minimize the financial effects of the new census numbers increases.

How the complaints will develop and whether the cities can successfully act against the results remains to be seen. The fact is that the uncertainties in the population are clearly noticeable - not only in Gießen, but in many other cities that rely on a good knack and reliable statistics to do their business.

For more information on the ongoing complaints and the effects of the census results on the finances of the municipalities, read hessenschau.de as well [swr.de] (https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/zensus-weniger- Reheniger-bw-staedte-kommunen-haben-100.html).