Wüst calls for a tough rethink when it comes to citizens' money: new pressure for reform!

Wüst calls for a tough rethink when it comes to citizens' money: new pressure for reform!

In the current debate about citizens' money, North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst took a clear position on the ARD talk show "Maischberger". Wüst questioned the fairness of fully covering the housing costs for citizens' benefit recipients and called for a review of the duration and amount of the payments. “It needs to be clear how we can ensure justice for low-income people,” he said. Wüst also expressed concerns that EU foreigners who take on a mini-job could immediately top up with citizen's money without ever having paid into the system. This rule has already sparked some debate, particularly among those concerned about their own financial security as the cost of living rises.

At the same time, Federal Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) announced that she would present reform proposals as soon as possible. The planned changes could include stricter requirements, for example higher sanctions for citizens' benefit recipients who miss job center appointments or reject job offers. Another approach to change is to prevent abuse of the welfare state, which is particularly important in view of the increase in EU foreigners receiving citizenship benefits.

Legal requirements and entitlement to citizen's money

The Federal Social Court has determined under file number B 4 AS 12/23 R the conditions under which Union citizens and their family members are entitled to citizen's benefit. This is particularly relevant for EU citizens who have lived in Germany for a long time. The plaintiff in this specific case was registered as a Polish citizen in Germany for several years and, despite her situation, asked the job center for support. The court's decision emphasizes that a habitual residence in Germany is necessary in order to be entitled to citizen's benefit. The requirements for this regulation were specified, which strengthens the position of EU citizens in the social system. Children who live in a community with an employable person who is entitled to benefits are also entitled to citizen's benefit, regardless of the parents' circumstances.

Interestingly, the proportion of non-German citizens' benefit recipients in Germany increased from 19.6 percent in 2010 to 47.3 percent in 2023. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann described this as a “glaring regulatory gap” and is calling for stricter regulations to protect the social system from abuse. He pointed to the increasing number of war refugees, which could be a reason for this increase. There is also criticism that small-time employment contracts often result in state increases, which require further action. Bas supports Linnemann's demands and also sees a need for changes to protect the structures of the welfare state.

The responsibility of employers

Another pressing issue is how to deal with employers who hire illegal workers. Linnemann calls for tougher penalties for such employers, while Bas held out the idea of ​​a “competence center for performance abuse” and better data exchange between different authorities. In this way, criminal structures that exploit the state could be combated more effectively. “It is up to us to sustainably prevent abuse and at the same time create justice for all citizens,” said Bas.

The minister's proposals and the discussions surrounding citizens' money make it clear that there are still many innovations and optimizations to be made. Only time will tell whether these reforms will succeed in finding a good balance between the needs of people in need of help and the protection of social security funds. A large part of the nationwide special fund, which comprises 100 billion euros and North Rhine-Westphalia, as the largest federal state, provides 21 billion euros, is to be used to improve schools and early childhood education facilities. This could also contribute to stabilizing social structures and is a step in the right direction.

The question remains as to how political actors will manage the balancing act between support and control, while citizens' money continues to be very popular and provides important support for many people.

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