The number of children residing abroad who receive German child allowances has nearly tripled since 2011. According to figures from the Federal Employment Agency, reported by the publication “Bild,” German child benefits were paid to 291,292 children living overseas by the end of 2025. This contrasts sharply with 103,559 children receiving payments in 2011 and 158,169 in 2015.
In light of this trend, Sahra Wagenknecht, the founder of BSW, demands a complete halt to the payments. Wagenknecht stated to “Bild” that while people in Bitterfeld queue at soup kitchens, tax money is being sent to Bucharest, criticizing the German state for acting like a “Christmas goose.” She argued that political focus should be directed more toward domestic communities like Bitterfeld rather than abroad, and that child benefits should no longer be paid to children not residing in Germany.
However, a general stop in payments would be complicated under current EU law. Under existing rules, employees in Germany are permitted to receive child allowances for children living in other EU countries, meaning European regulations would need to be revised for a complete cessation to take effect.
The statistics from the Federal Employment Agency show that by the end of 2025, German child benefits went specifically to 112,384 Polish beneficiaries living abroad. This was followed by recipients of Czech nationality (33,872 children) and Romanian nationality (32,459 children). Importantly, the statistics track only that the children live outside Germany, not the specific country. Furthermore, 36,727 children who were German beneficiaries also received child allowances while residing abroad.
The transfers made to foreign bank accounts have also dramatically increased, rising from €45.7 million in 2011 to roughly €528 million in 2025-an increase of approximately 1,055 percent. It should be noted, however, that these transfers to foreign accounts do not equate to the total amount of child benefits paid globally, since payments can flow into German bank accounts from abroad, and vice-versa.
