It’s published
Bavarian minister, Minister Marcus Söder, is shaking Germany’s so-called Black and Red federal government coalition agreement.
In an interview on Sunday in ZDF Summer, Söder said he was in favor of reducing the benefits of certain Ukrainian refugees who are currently receiving citizen allowances.
The benefits for German citizens are state welfare benefits given to those with little or no income to ensure a minimum standard of living.
Söder said only new arrivals from Ukraine should reduce social benefits, adding that “we need to ensure that citizen allowances are not gone for all those who come from Ukraine.
This should be applied “not just for those who will come in the future, but for everyone.”
Söder justified his stance by saying that other countries have not allowed benefits to Ukrainian refugees that rival citizen allowances. This is one of the reasons why a relatively small number of Ukrainians took on employment in Germany despite the excellent qualifications.
Under their coalition agreement, the CDU/CSU and SPD agreed that Ukrainian refugees who will come to Germany from April 1, 2025 will receive benefits only in the future, like other refugees, to receive benefits in accordance with the Asylum-seekers Benefits Act.
No binding legal implementation has yet to be carried out
Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Germany after this date and prove that they are in trouble will only receive benefits in the future in lieu of the citizens’ benefits Act in place of the interests of the citizens. Those who arrive before this date are still entitled to citizen allowances.
However, there has not been a binding legal implementation of this regulation yet. Currently, Ukrainians who arrive after the cutoff date continue to receive citizen allowances.
Expenditures on benefits for German citizens increased to 46.9 billion euros in 2024. This is an increase of around 4 billion euros. This is due to a response to a question from the Federal Department of Social Affairs AFD.
A total of 22.2 billion euros have been paid to foreigners who benefited citizens. Of this, 6.3 billion euros were paid to the Ukrainian awardees of citizen allowances.