Social - Lindner presses for stricter rules on citizen's income
Finance Minister Christian Lindner maintains his assessment that there will be no further increase in citizen's income next year and urges for more reforms in social benefits. "Citizen's income has not met expectations and therefore needs to be further reformed," said the FDP chief in the ARD-"Summer Interview". Next year, there will be a zero-percent increase in citizen's income. "It will not be raised, while the working population will be relieved of payroll and income tax. This increases the gap, which the population also expects."
Twelve percent more at the beginning of the year
The citizen's income had increased by around twelve percent on average at the beginning of the year compared to 2023 - for singles, this was an increase of 61 to 563 Euro per month. Lindner had already said then that the regulation had risen disproportionately. He had expressed the expectation that the sentences for the next year would not rise again. The regulation for citizen's income is adjusted annually to prices and wages and also takes inflation into account. Social Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) had said that if inflation were to decline significantly, the next adjustment would be correspondingly low. The necessary data will be provided by the Federal Statistical Office in the summer.
Lindner, looking at the federal budget, said, "We don't have too little money, but we have too high expenses." He spoke of strongly rising social expenses. "This is also connected to the irregular immigration to Germany since 2015. Therefore, it will be a big challenge to rebuild our welfare state. In short: more empathy for the needy, but more consequences for freeloaders."
Who needs help, needs the security to obtain it. "On the other hand, those who do not work, those who deliberately reject offers or those who irregularly, illegally reside in Germany, in fact, should leave the country, these people cannot benefit from our welfare state." It's about billions of euros.
- Despite the FDP chief's assertion that there won't be an increase in citizen's income next year due to its underperformance, German Social Minister Hubertus Heil suggested that a significant decrease in inflation could lead to a correspondingly low adjustment.
- In the ARD-"Summer Interview", Christian Lindner, the German Finance Minister, criticized the disproportionate rise of citizen's income earlier in the year, citing a twelve percent increase on average for singles, and underlined his call for reforms in social benefits.
- Amidst the discussion on citizen's income, Christian Lindner highlighted the issue of rising social expenses in Germany, attributing it in part to the irregular immigration since 2015, and emphasized the need for both empathy and consequences in rebuilding the nation's welfare state.
