The chairman of the CDU employee wing (CDA), Karl-Josef Laumann, defended his party’s plans to restructure citizens’ money against criticism from the traffic light coalition. “I believe that the SPD and the Greens also have to realize that the current citizen’s money is wrong in name and creates the wrong incentives,” said the North Rhine-Westphalian labor and social affairs minister when he arrived for discussions with the CDU leadership in Berlin.
The federal executive board wanted to decide on a radical restructuring of citizens’ money in the event of a government takeover after the next federal election. The SPD and the Greens have already rejected the CDU’s demands.
There is a shortage of workers and at the same time people are not being placed in jobs, Laumann criticized and called for stronger placement efforts. “A welfare state that does not integrate people into work is a bad welfare state.” The paper on the restructuring of citizens’ money is extremely balanced.
“It is clearly committed to reasonable basic security. It also clearly says that we want an activating welfare state.” Solidarity and personal responsibility belong together in the welfare state. “Of course, those who finance the system can also expect that people who have to live in this system temporarily will only do so temporarily and will contribute as much as they can to their own livelihood.”
Klöckner: Social policy is not a one-way street
When asked which party the CDU wanted to use to enforce its demands, CDU executive board member Jens Spahn said: “With the sensible people in the next German Bundestag. I hope that the SPD also understands that this is about valuing work.” The CDU’s change plans are not about those people who cannot work due to illness, impairment or disability. CDU treasurer Julia Klöckner said: “Social policy is also fairness towards those who get up every morning, who pay their taxes properly, who give the money so that others can also be supported.” Social policy is not a one-way street.
The CDU wants, among other things, to implement sanctions more quickly, easily and less bureaucratically. “If a basic security recipient who is able to work refuses work that is reasonable for him (“total refuser”) without any objective reason, it should be assumed in the future that he is not in need,” says the draft.
