Debate in Lübeck: Future of the welfare state and citizens' money in danger!

Debate in Lübeck: Future of the welfare state and citizens' money in danger!

On July 21, 2025, the event "Have a say! Live on site" took place in Lübeck, where the fundamental questions about citizens' money and the future of the welfare state were discussed. The moderator Nina Zimmermann and floor reporter Birgit Langhammer led the lively debate, which was attended by around 150 participants on site. The guests dealt intensively with the topic, including Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU), Minister of Economics and Labor in Schleswig-Holstein, as well as the social activist Helena Steinhaus and Enzo Weber, a renowned economist from the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research in Nuremberg.

The focus of the discussion was the government's plans to abolish citizens' money, the introduction of a new basic security and the associated tougher sanctions for those who refuse to work. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and SPD leader Lars Klingbeil commented on the savings intentions, with Klingbeil describing the SPD as “the party of working people”. reports NDR.

The citizen's money discourse

The debate about citizens' money is increasingly characterized by stricter sanctions, given the fact that around 5.5 million people receive it, a third of whom are children and young people. Social ethicist Franz Segbers criticized the fact that the discussion often puts the small group of so-called “total objectors” in the foreground. The majority of citizens' benefit recipients want to actively participate in the labor market in order to achieve social participation. Only 16,000 cases of welfare fraud were registered, which only equates to around 1,300 people per month over the entire year states the Tagesschau.

The need for a “welfare state transition” was also discussed, although the increase in child benefit, for example, does not appeal to those receiving civil benefit. An analysis shows that employed people, even in the low-wage sector, are often in a better financial position than those who receive public benefit shows the Böckler Foundation.

Integration and economic stability

During the discussion, Claus Ruhe Madsen called for faster integration of those who are able to work into the labor market. Helena Steinhaus spoke out against what she called “poor bashing” and placed the low number of actual “work refusers” in the context of the welfare state. Enzo Weber passionately advocated a holistic approach to combating unemployment in order to find sustainable solutions.

The event clearly showed that the issues of social justice, economic stability and the future of the welfare state are very important to the population. The discussion about citizens' money must be conducted independently of political trends in order to preserve and promote the value of social legal rights reports NDR.

Overall, the event highlighted the ongoing challenges and the need to future-proof the welfare state and strengthen citizens' rights in times of economic uncertainty.