Germany’s leading Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is signaling a significant shift in approach to its social welfare system, specifically regarding the “Bürgergeld” – a basic income scheme. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann has outlined plans for a reform that would link benefit eligibility more directly to willingness to accept suitable employment.
Linnemann stated the party aims to establish a system where repeated refusal of reasonable job offers would be interpreted as a demonstration of not being in genuine need of state support, potentially leading to benefit suspension. He emphasized that while employment is not compulsory in Germany, those receiving social welfare support should not expect to be funded by those actively working.
The proposed changes come in the wake of a 2019 Federal Constitutional Court ruling which affirmed the legality of sanctions within basic social security programs, while outlining limits on the permissible extent of benefit reductions – capping them at 30% of the standard need allowance. According to Linnemann, approximately 200,000 individuals currently receiving Bürgergeld have no registered barriers to employment.
Linnemann positioned the reform as a necessary step to ensure the long-term sustainability of Germany’s social safety net, arguing that the current system is too easily exploited. He indicated a degree of consensus with coalition partner Social Democratic Party (SPD) on the need for change, referencing agreements outlined in their coalition treaty and recent statements from the Minister of Social Affairs advocating for reform.
He characterized the coming months as a critical period for German politics, suggesting that these planned reforms will serve as a test of the government’s ability to enact meaningful change and address mounting financial pressures on the social welfare system.
