Citizens' budget 2026 starts

The City of Jena's Citizens' Budget 2026 starts on June 1. Until July 31, 2026, residents will once again have the opportunity to submit their own proposals for projects and improvements in the city. The citizens' budget gives citizens the opportunity to contribute their ideas directly and help decide how a fixed budget is used. Proposals can be submitted online via the participation platform mitmachen.jena.de.

In recent years, numerous projects have been implemented using the citizens' budget - including additional seating, greening measures, playground facilities, bicycle repair stations and communication aids in playgrounds. Many of these ideas come directly from the everyday lives of people in Jena and help to develop the city together.

"Every year, the citizens' budget shows anew how many committed and creative people live in our city. It is particularly nice that many small ideas result in concrete improvements that become visible and usable in everyday life," says Kathleen Lützkendorf, Head of Department of the City of Jena.

At the end of the submission phase, the proposals will be reviewed by the city administration. Among other things, it will consider whether the ideas are feasible and meet the criteria of the citizens' budget. The valid proposals then move on to a public voting phase in which residents can vote for their favorites. Last year, interest in the citizens' budget was very high: more than 15,000 votes were cast in 2025 - more than ever before.

All information on the 2026 citizens' budget and the opportunity to submit proposals can be found at: mitmachen.jena.de

In addition to submission via the participation platform, proposals can be sent by email to buergerhaushalt@jena.de or in writing to

Department of Social Affairs, Health, Immigration and Climate
Central Coordination Office for Citizen Participation
Lutherplatz 3
07743 Jena

can be submitted.

The Central Coordination Office for Citizen Participation will check the validity of the proposals. If a proposal is invalid, the coordination office mitmachen.jena will publish a justification in a way that everyone can understand. The coordination office is also available to advise all interested parties and those submitting proposals.