BERLIN, December 25. /TASS/. Andre Berghegger, head of the Association of German Towns and Municipalities, has called for increased investment in social infrastructure and the creation of a federal fund to combat loneliness with a minimum budget of €500 million.
"The fight against loneliness must not fail because of a lack of funding," Berghegger told the Funke media group. "Alongside significantly higher financial support for municipalities, we need a strong federal and state program aimed at tackling social isolation."
He proposed establishing a dedicated fund to combat loneliness, which he said should be allocated at least €500 million for the current legislative term.
"Municipalities are the places where loneliness becomes visible first, and at the same time, where it can be addressed most effectively," Berghegger said. He argued that community meeting spaces should remain open as much as possible, "without long breaks, holidays, sick days or early closures."
As examples of such spaces, he pointed to libraries and adult education centers, describing them as "places for exchange and lifelong learning."
Berghegger stressed that loneliness is not limited to the elderly but has become a cross-generational phenomenon. Funding for the proposed initiative could be "covered by the European Union, surplus funds in the federal budget, or the redistribution of resources within separate budgets," he said.
According to the latest statistics, about 25% of adults in Germany experience severe loneliness.