The leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) and Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder, has called for a complete suspension of the payment of so-called "citizen benefits" for refugees from Ukraine, reports the German tabloid Bild.
In a series of media appearances, the politician called for an immediate change in the course of German social policy. Söder is calling for a so-called "change of legal circle". The change envisages that Ukrainian citizens will be removed from the standard unemployment system and transferred to the regime under the Asylum Seekers' Assistance Act, where financial rates are significantly lower.
According to the Bavarian Prime Minister, this measure does not should be limited to future newcomers, but should cover all Ukrainian refugees currently residing in the country and receiving social transfers.
“There is no other country in the world that treats Ukrainian refugees as generously financially as Germany“, Söder told public broadcaster ZDF. He argued his demand with official figures, according to which the percentage of working Ukrainians in Germany remains significantly lower than in other European countries.
According to him, high levels of social assistance act as a disincentive for integration into the labour market.
The CSU's demand comes at a time of intensified debates over the consolidation of the German state budget. Söder stressed that the annual expenditure on “social assistance“ in the country reaches nearly 50 billion euros, which requires a reduction in social benefits for migrants to “the absolute constitutional limit” minimum“.
As part of a broader package of measures to manage migration, Bavaria and the Christian Social Union are also pushing for the full introduction of debit payment cards for asylum seekers, which would limit access to cash and prevent funds from being sent outside Germany.
They also want to speed up expulsion procedures and impose sanctions on people without the right to stay, as well as tight control over the activities of non-governmental organizations that assist migrants in procedures to circumvent asylum rules.
Markus Söder's statement caused sharp reactions on the political scene in Berlin. While the conservative bloc (CDU/CSU) and business representatives support the thesis of stricter requirements for job seekers, left-wing political forces and human rights organizations criticized the proposal.
Söder's critics point out that many of the Ukrainian refugees are single mothers with children or people who are still undergo mandatory language and integration courses, and cutting their funding would threaten their livelihoods. Debates on the topic are expected to intensify in the coming weeks as the next federal budget is prepared.