The Greens are putting pressure on a solution to unresolved questions about the introduction of basic child security. After the topic was reportedly irrelevant in the coalition committee, the Greens parliamentary group now wants to focus on it.
The parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann told the editorial network Germany that the focus is on combating the climate crisis and socially cushioning the necessary changes. Together, the traffic light coalition raised the minimum wage, passed the citizen’s allowance and two relief packages with social compensation, reformed the housing benefit, introduced the energy price flat rate and increased the child benefit to 250 euros.
Haßelmann: “Child poverty excludes”
At the same time, Haßelmann made it clear: “Now one of the next key projects for us is basic child security.” In Germany, every fifth child is poor or at risk of poverty. “It threatens the future of the children and is scandalous in such a rich country. Changing that is what matters now.”
From 2025, basic child security is to bundle state benefits for families and children. It is still controversial in the coalition what should be included. Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) wants an increase because, in her opinion, the previous aid does not adequately combat child poverty. It has therefore announced a need of twelve billion euros. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), on the other hand, places a strong focus on digitization so that families can take advantage of the services to which they are entitled.
Haßelmann said: “Basic child security is more than a digitization project. It’s about preventing poverty and growing up in material security. Child poverty excludes people.”
