Asylum-related services
Lindner explains delay in basic child welfare
September 14, 2023, 1:15 p.m
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The traffic light is apparently still fine-tuning basic child security. This was actually supposed to be initiated by the cabinet, but was surprisingly missing from the agenda. Finance Minister Lindner has now given a reason for this.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has rejected permanently higher benefits for children of asylum seekers as part of the introduction of basic child welfare. “The SPD and the Greens want to permanently pay asylum seekers 20 euros more per child per month – I don’t support that,” said the FDP leader of the “Rheinische Post”. The current standard rates are appropriate, “and we shouldn’t send the wrong signals, especially with the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act,” said Lindner.
For this reason, among other things, the cabinet decision on basic child security was postponed at short notice on Wednesday. The passage that provided for a slight, permanent improvement in benefits for children of asylum seekers from 2025 has now been removed from the draft law, but there is still a need for clarification between the ministries, the newspaper reported, citing the Green Party-led Federal Family Ministry.
“It was important to me that there were no expansions in basic child welfare benefits,” Lindner now told the “Rheinische Post”. “Nothing should change significantly in the gap between wage income and social benefits.” A family of five who receives citizen’s benefit already receives a good 37,000 euros a year from taxpayers. “That’s not much for five people, but it’s not misery,” emphasized the FDP leader.
“Higher cash benefits would not be perceived as fair by families who work for low incomes,” added Lindner. “There is no getting around the fact that we can only end poverty through education and work.” There are still “too many people who could work but are not working”.
The family minister expects a decision in September
Lindner and Family Minister Lisa Paus had struggled for months about financing basic child welfare. At the end of August, both finally agreed on financing details. After the project was not on the agenda on Wednesday, Paus was still confident that basic child welfare would be passed in September. “It was always planned to pass it in September. We will do that,” the Green politician told T-Online on Wednesday.
“Politically everything is united, it’s about legal and technical details that we’re still clarifying with each other. That’s not unusual with a piece of legislation like this. Ultimately, we’re combining different child-related services into one service,” said Paus.
FDP parliamentary group vice-president Christoph Meyer explained on Wednesday, “It’s about more than just technical details. Two weeks more departmental coordination will not harm the law from Lisa Paus’ family ministry. After all, basic child welfare must not become the next heating law.” The FDP politician emphasized that the draft law must be “clean” before it comes to parliament.
The Left party leader Janine Wissler criticized the further delay in the draft law. This shows where the traffic light coalition sets priorities. Other projects were tackled earlier and more quickly. The current plans are also not sufficient to effectively combat child poverty.