Determine the subsistence level differently
Buschmann believes lowering of citizen’s allowance is feasible
17.08.2024, 02:29 a.m.
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FDP parliamentary group leader Dürr is pushing ahead with the demand for a reduction in citizens’ income. The Ministry of Labor says this is not legally possible. The Minister of Justice sees things somewhat differently.
Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann believes that a reduction in the citizen’s allowance is legally possible. The Ministry of Labor is right that the current legal situation prohibits reductions, the FDP politician told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. “However, it would be constitutionally permissible to change the relevant law,” added Buschmann.
Germany can be proud of its welfare state. At the same time, however, solidarity must be strengthened with those people “who work in our country, pay taxes and social security contributions and thus finance our welfare state.”
At the beginning of 2024, the citizen’s allowance was increased by a total of 12 percent. Since then, single people have received 563 euros a month, 61 euros more than in the previous year. FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr had found that the citizen’s allowance was currently 14 to 20 euros too high a month. He spoke out in favor of a “downward adjustment”. The Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs had rejected the proposal for legal reasons. Politicians have no scope for cuts because there is a “legal property protection regulation” for citizen’s allowance recipients, explained the office of Minister Hubertus Heil of the SPD.
“The Federal Constitutional Court has clearly stated that the standard rate must be high enough to ensure a decent minimum standard of living for every person in Germany,” emphasized Buschmann. There is no doubt about that. However, the question arises as to which method is used to determine the corresponding amount of money. Experts have calculated that the current citizen’s allowance rate is too high compared to inflation. “Many people feel that this is unfair at a time when public money is scarce and many people who work regularly have to make financial sacrifices,” explained the Minister of Justice.