In view of the budget crisis, social associations are pushing for the planned increase in citizens’ money next year. “Anyone who questions the increase in citizens’ benefits next year obviously wants to violate the constitution,” said a call from associations on Friday, which was signed by, among others, the Arbeiterwohlfahrt (Awo), the Social Association of Germany (SoVD) and the Verdi union . It is said that securing the minimum subsistence level through citizens’ money has constitutional status. “Increasing citizens’ money is of vital importance for millions of people in order to be able to partially cushion the price increases for food and energy.”
A renewed discussion about citizens’ money was sparked by the current budget crisis. After the Karlsruhe budget ruling, voices from the FDP and the CDU/CSU were recently raised to recalculate citizens’ money. The more than five million recipients of citizens’ benefit should receive an average of around 12 percent more money by January 1, 2024. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit recently said about citizens’ money: “I don’t know that there are any plans within the federal government to change the legal basis.”
Awo President Michael Groß demanded: “The finance minister and the FDP must now show their colors and make it clear that there is no alternative to increasing citizens’ money!”
