Old-age poverty - SPD: Majority supports Christmas bonus for pensioners
Thuringia's SPD is supported in its demand for 500 Euro Christmas money for rent recipients by a survey conducted by the Market and Opinion Research Institute INSA. According to SPD-Vice-Fraction Leader Lutz Liebscher in Erfurt, the proposal gained the approval of two-thirds of the interviewees. The annual one-time payment, according to the Social Democrats' plans, is to be financed from the state budget.
In Thuringia, there were 54,000 rent recipients earning less than 1,100 Euro per month and living below the poverty line, as Liebscher stated. A yearly one-time payment is not only necessary for them but also a question of respect.
SPD wants to raise pension levels
In the INSA survey of 1,000 Thuringians aged 18 and above between June 17 and 24, 66% of the respondents expressed their support for such Christmas money for rent recipients. Among CDU supporters, it was 64%, among AfD supporters 68%, and among BSW supporters 71%. The highest approval was among Linke supporters with 78%, and among SPD supporters with 76%. According to Liebscher, the project is feasible despite high costs.
The SPD made further proposals to raise the low pension levels in Thuringia. The "Seeheimer Group" within the Social Democrats advocated for raising the tax-exempt earnings for pensioners to monthly 2,500 Euro. The SPD group also advocates for a 13th pension payment per year for better earning opportunities, new medical care concepts, and new models for elderly care.
- The proposal for a 500 Euro Christmas bonus for rent recipients, aimed at addressing old-age poverty, is backed by a majority of seniors in Thuringia, according to an INSA survey.
- Lutz Liebscher, SPD-Vice-Fraction Leader in Erfurt, highlighted that nearly 54,000 seniors in Thuringia live below the poverty line and rely on rent subsidies.
- In the state election, the SPD, alongside parties like the Linke and BSW, is advocating for a 500 Euro Christmas bonus for seniors living on rent subsidies, with the funding coming from the state budget.
- The results of the INSA survey show that the SPD's demand for a Christmas bonus has garnered significant support across various party lines, with 76% backing the proposal among SPD supporters.
- The SPD, in its efforts to combat old-age poverty, is also proposing to increase pension levels in Thuringia by raising the tax-exempt earnings for pensioners and advocating for a 13th pension payment to improve earning opportunities and elderly care.
