Labour Party leader Ines Schwerdtner cautioned that the proposed social‑state reform could add bureaucracy for ordinary people. Speaking to the television station ntv on Monday, she remarked, “I worry about Bärbel Bas’s proposal to align everything with the jobcentre. We all know how the jobcentre is already overstretched. That kind of blanket standardisation and simplification shouldn’t make matters worse for those who rely on it”.
Schwerdtner added, “The welfare state should protect people. Anyone can suddenly find themselves needing to visit an office because of illness or another emergency. No one should be made to queue or wait unduly”.
The politician clarified her stance: “For any simplification or improvement that genuinely benefits people, we are on board. However, if the changes simply bundle everything into a single office and end up harming people’s circumstances, we will not support it. We will scrutinise the legislation meticulously once it is introduced”.
