Members of Germany’s Union bloc have welcomed proposed changes to financial support for Ukrainian refugees arriving in April, which will see them transitioned from receiving full citizen’s benefit payments to standard asylum seeker support. However, key figures within the CDU and CSU have expressed concern that a draft bill presented by Labour Minister Bärbel Bas does not go far enough to address wider systemic issues.
CDU parliamentary group vice-president Günter Krings told the “Handelsblatt” newspaper that while the draft represents “small steps in the right direction” it ultimately falls short of delivering sufficient change and offers only “minimal savings.
CSU General Secretary Martin Huber highlighted Germany’s comparatively lower employment rate among Ukrainian refugees compared to other host countries. He advocated for stronger incentives to move individuals from benefit payments into employment, stating, “Those who are able to work must also work.
Hülya Düber, a CSU social policy spokesperson, emphasized the continued need for robust support and promotion of Ukrainian integration into the labor market.
Krings further argued that “more than just cosmetic corrections” are necessary. The Union bloc is calling for a comprehensive solution that incentivizes employment, prevents misuse of the system and provides tangible relief to municipalities managing the influx of refugees.
