The debt ratios in public budgets are steadily increasing internationally. Countries like Japan or Italy are now in debt by more than their annual economic output. In response to this development, some states have introduced so-called zero-deficit rules. These aim to achieve a balanced budget by law. The first part of this work explains the approaches that countries are following in this regard. The second section examines, through empirical studies, how successful the debt brakes have been in curbing the public deficit. An international comparison will then determine which criteria are necessary for the effectiveness of the rules. These insights ultimately lead to a model that could restrict the borrowing of the Federal Republic of Germany.