Politician Christian Lindner proposes to diminish citizenship privileges for Ukrainian displaced persons.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner suggests reducing the unemployment benefits for Ukrainian refugees and significantly revamping the overall social welfare system. He proposed the concept of a unique legal status for refugees hailing from Ukraine, envisioning a blend of asylum-seeker benefits and unemployment assistance, eliminating the requirement for a asylum process. Yet, this wouldn't guarantee immediate access to unemployment benefits, which are designed to maintain a minimum standard of living with social participation, even without employment, according to Lindner.
Following the Russian invasion in February 2022, the federal government granted Ukrainian refugees residing in Germany exemption from applying for asylum. Consequently, they obtain a residence permit and receive unemployment benefits instead of asylum-seeker benefits.
Lindner advocates for overhauling the unemployment benefits scheme. He favors the inclusion of housing costs and utilities as a flat rate in unemployment benefits. This approach would grant benefit recipients the freedom to choose a smaller dwelling and decide on heating expenses. According to Lindner, substantial savings worth billions of euros could be achieved. Currently, the job center manages housing and heating costs at an appropriate level.
However, Hebestreit, the government spokesperson in Berlin, indicated that the federal government has yet to develop an overall strategy to address Lindner's requests.
While Lindner suggests incorporating housing costs and utilities as a flat rate in unemployment benefits, this might lead to significant savings, the citizens' money would be directly impacted by these changes. Furthermore, if the job center no longer manages housing and heating costs, refugees and unemployed individuals might have more control over their expenses, but it remains unclear how the federal government intends to ensure they can still afford a decent standard of living.
