Dispute over School Summer Break Dates Grips Germany’s 16 Federal States | Germany

Germany’s 16 states are currently in a heated dispute over the scheduling of their summer school holidays. The southern states, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, are resisting efforts by the other 14 states to adopt a national rotation system, which would spread the holidays out from June to late August. The southern states argue that their children are needed to help with the harvest, although this practice is largely outdated due to changes in agricultural practices and child labor laws. The debate over holiday scheduling is complex, with some arguing that an earlier break would disrupt tourism, while others see it as a way to modernize and equalize holiday times across the country. Bavaria’s state leader, Markus Söder, has firmly stated that the current holiday schedule is deeply ingrained in Bavarian culture and will not be changed.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/16/germany-16-states-locked-in-row-over-dates-of-school-summer-holidays