SPD base raises its voice: Over 4,000 signatures against citizen's benefit reform!

SPD base raises its voice: Over 4,000 signatures against citizen's benefit reform!

There is a lot of rumblings in the SPD: opponents of the planned tightening of citizens' money within the party have collected over 4,000 signatures. The initiator, former Juso chairwoman Franziska Drohsel, is very committed to opposing the reform that the black-red coalition is aiming for. Next Monday she wants to hand over the collected signatures to the party leadership in the Willy Brandt House in order to initiate an official membership petition. Radio Ennepe Ruhr reports that at the turn of the year there were 357,117 members of the SPD, which theoretically enables the necessary support of at least one percent of the party base for the request.

But what happens next? The party statutes require that signatures be collected on a special platform, which Drohsel considers solvable. First, the party executive must check the admissibility of the application. If the board approves the project, support for the request could be collected within two months. There is also a three-month deadline to attract at least 20 percent of the members - a challenge that many see as crucial to the outcome. Drohsel himself is optimistic that the signatures will once again be successfully collected on the platform.

Concerns about the reform

The planned reform of citizens' money is controversial. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the members' request rejects any tightening of sanctions. Drohsel particularly criticizes the planned cuts in accommodation costs and the increased additional payments to health insurance companies. If an appointment is missed, there is a risk that the benefits will be completely canceled, while if two appointments are missed, an immediate reduction of 30 percent is envisaged. “This is a path we shouldn’t take,” said Drohsel,

which warns that one could move away from solidarity values ​​and fair redistribution.

Meanwhile, according to the ZDF political barometer, 74 percent of those surveyed support the planned tightening of citizens' money. This shows the tension between the party and public perception. This is also how an SPD member of the Bundestag sees it, who classifies the request as “dangerous” because the majority of members support the reform. The discussion about poverty in Germany is perceived as emotional and partly characterized by prejudices, which Drohsel considers problematic. She calls for the discourse to change and focus on the causes of poverty.

A call for solidarity

The initiators of the members' petition have formulated three central demands: no tightening of sanctions on citizens' money, more support for those affected and a reduction in social inequality. The reform is scheduled to come into force in spring 2026 at the latest, and time is of the essence. The coalition committee has already agreed on the changes and some fear that more visionary projects to strengthen social policy could harm the coalition.

Ultimately, it will be exciting to see whether the SPD will listen to the voices of its base. Drohsel and her colleagues appeal for policies that respect human dignity. In view of the intensifying debate, a lot of things seem to be boiling down to an exciting debate within the party, in which the support of tenants' and social associations also plays a role that should not be underestimated. ZDF mentions that these initiatives in particular indicate that the reform could increase the risk of homelessness. Drohsel warns of the consequences of wrong political steps and calls for a rethink.