Philipp Amthor, a CDU State Secretary in the Ministry for Digital Affairs, welcomed the proposal by Saxony‑Anhalt’s Prime Minister Sven Schulze (also CDU) to allow citizen‑benefit recipients who are able to participate in municipal tasks. “I think the idea is also a matter of fairness; those who can work and can contribute should do so for our welfare state” Amthor told the RTL and ntv program “Frühstart” on Tuesday. “This discussion fits into the broader debate we are having right now about reforming and shaping the future of the Bürgergeld. Our ‘New Basic Security’ concept already recognises the importance of maintaining the social state, but it also requires that those who can contribute do so. It’s a matter of justice towards those who build and sustain the welfare system”.
Under Article 12 of the German Basic Law no one may be compelled to a specific job, except in cases of court‑ordered deprivation of liberty and the general public‑service duty that applies uniformly to all citizens. However, Bürgergeld recipients can be required to engage in so‑called “employment opportunities” under §16d of the Social Code (SGB II). The aim is to preserve employability; participation is a duty and can already be penalised with a cut‑back in the Bürgergeld.
A stricter work‑obligation concept was originally floated by the AfD’s Bundestag faction. In October 2023 they proposed that recipients of unemployment benefits who refuse “Bürgerarbeit” should receive only in‑kind services instead of cash.
