The Diakonie and the Jusos criticize Labor Minister Heil’s intention to tighten the sanctions on citizens’ money. However, approval came from the CDU and the Union.
The Jusos have criticized Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil’s (SPD) plans to tighten sanctions on citizens’ money. “In a constitutional state, it is not justifiable to let people starve as a sanction,” said the chairman of the SPD youth organization, Philipp Türmer, to the Berlin “Tagesspiegel”.
The proposal to eliminate all services other than rent is neither compatible with human dignity nor with the basic idea of citizens’ money.
Türmer further explained that citizen’s money should represent a departure from the Hartz IV ideology so that recipients of social assistance do not constantly have to fear the deprivation of their livelihood. This constant threat hovering over the heads should not be allowed to return to the lives of those receiving public benefit. But the proposed tightening of sanctions does exactly that.
Diakonie considers the measure to be a good one counterproductive
The Diakonie is also critical of Heil’s plans. As with Hartz IV, the following applies: “Sanctions are counterproductive from a diakonia perspective,” explained the Protestant social association.
“We know from our daily advisory practice that sanctions particularly hit people with special problems hard, for example those who cannot read and write well, or people with mental illnesses or addiction problems,” said Diakonie’s social director, Maria Loheide. Additional pressure through sanctions only exacerbates their situation and does not help solve their individual problems, she said.
Lindner calls for further reviews
Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), however, supported Heil’s initiative. “In this way, the Minister of Labor is not only implementing his contribution to the 2024 budget concept. Above all, the acceptance of the welfare state will be strengthened if compensation is also required,” said Lindner. The taxpayers rightly expected this.
In the coming year we will have to continue thinking in this direction, said Lindner. “The system of our social benefits must be examined to ensure that work is always more worthwhile than giving up a job.”
The FDP member of the Bundestag Carl-Julius Kronenberg told the “Tagesspiegel”: “The solidarity community of taxpayers cannot be expected to allow others to rest at their expense.”
“Solidarity is a two-way street”
The Union also welcomed Heil’s plans. “Anyone who refuses any job offer out of convenience cannot count on the solidarity community to support them financially,” said the social policy spokesman for the Union faction, Stephan Stracke (CSU), to the newspapers of the Funke media group. “Solidarity is not a one-way street.”
Heil plans to completely cut off standard benefits for up to two months for those who refuse any offer of work. The state would only continue to pay the costs for accommodation and heating so that the unemployed do not become homeless. This is what a draft of the budget law planned by the federal government provides.
Citizens’ money, which replaced Hartz IV benefits this year, can currently be capped by up to 30 percent. The tightening of the sanctions is intended to be a contribution from Heil’s ministry to savings in the budget for the coming year. According to the draft law, around 170 million euros could be saved per year by tightening sanctions.