Radical renovation planned
CDU wants to abolish citizens’ money and introduce tough sanctions
March 15, 2024, 7:23 p.m
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The CDU is planning a fundamental reform of citizens’ money. Sanctions should be enforced more quickly and easily, as stated in a draft resolution for the Federal Executive Board. And the whole thing should get a new name.
The CDU wants to fundamentally change the citizen’s money support system. “The name “citizen’s money” is misleading and is an expression of the political concept of an unconditional basic income,” says a draft resolution for a meeting of the Federal Executive Board this Monday. “We clearly reject this concept.” That’s why the CDU wants to rename the citizen’s money “New Basic Security” and “abolish it in its current form”.
Specifically, the CDU wants, among other things, to push for sanctions to be implemented more quickly, easily and less bureaucratically. “If a basic security recipient who is able to work refuses work that is reasonable for him (“total refuser”) without any objective reason, it should be assumed in the future that he is not in need,” says the draft. There should then no longer be a claim to basic security. The aim is to ensure that children and partners do not suffer from the behavior of such “total refusers”.
According to the draft resolution, the aim must be to mediate in progress, demands the CDU. The focus of the job centers should therefore be placed more strongly on “intensive and qualified support for aid recipients”. Anyone who fails to show up for appointments more than once without an objective reason should not initially receive any benefits – the money withheld should only be paid out when the conversation is resumed.
If there is no longer any contact with the job center after three months, it should be assumed that there is no longer any need for help. According to the draft, anyone who has assets should not claim the solidarity of the taxpayer community. Therefore, the waiting period of twelve months should be abolished and an asset check should be carried out from the first day of basic security. The limits on protective assets should be lowered and the protective assets should be made dependent on the number of years of work.
After a reform by the traffic light coalition at the beginning of 2023, citizens’ benefit replaced the Hartz IV (unemployment benefit II) system. It is intended to secure a living for people who can work but whose income is not enough to live on. Those affected should be helped to gain a foothold in the labor market with advice, training and further education.