"Is it justifyable to cut public funds for Ukrainians, using taxpayer money?"
In a bid to manage the increasing strain on Germany's welfare system, the coalition government has proposed a change in the social benefits for Ukrainian refugees. Starting from April 1, 2025, new Ukrainian arrivals will receive reduced social benefits, approximately €441 per month, under a new asylum seekers scheme.
This shift comes as part of a broader strategy to address rising costs and demands on social resources. The plan is to align Ukrainian refugee benefits more closely with the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act, which provides lower support than the full citizen's allowance.
For those who arrived before April 1, 2025, the government has assured that they will continue to receive their full benefits until the end of their current support period, without needing to repay funds already received.
The draft law, which is currently under discussion, aims to balance humanitarian considerations with fiscal constraints. The coalition government is moving forward legally to implement this change, with the intention of managing cost pressures and political concerns related to refugee support.
The employee wing of the union has shown strong opposition to the proposal put forward by Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU). Söder advocates for withdrawing the citizen's allowance for all refugees from Ukraine and providing them with the lower asylum seeker benefits instead.
Initially, long waiting times for language and integration courses for Ukrainian refugees in Germany were problematic, according to economist Enzo Weber. However, he also emphasized that the integration of refugees into the labour market takes time.
Chancellor's Office Chief Thorsten Frei showed an openness to Söder's proposal but criticized that only one in three employable Ukrainians is working in Germany. He stressed the need for improved integration efforts to ensure that more refugees can contribute to the German economy.
The planned reform of the citizen's allowance is also expected to result in savings. Municipalities cannot bear the costs for Ukrainian refugees on their own and would require full coverage from the federal government and the states if a change were to happen.
In addition to the welfare changes, Germany has provided around 6.3 billion euros in aid to several hundred thousand Ukrainians and their children who have fled since 2022 due to the Russian invasion.
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- The proposed change in social benefits for Ukrainian refugees, effective April 1, 2025, is part of a broader policy-and-legislation strategy to manage costs and address rising demands on Germany's welfare system, aligning with the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act that provides lower support than a full citizen's allowance.
- The employee wing of the union has opposed the Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder's (CSU) proposal to withdraw citizen's allowance for all Ukrainian refugees and replace it with lower asylum seeker benefits, emphasizing the importance of personal-finance support for refugees as part of general-news discussions related to politics and immigration.
- The planned reform of the citizen's allowance for Ukrainian refugees is expected to result in substantial savings for municipalities and the federal government, as they cannot bear the costs on their own without full coverage and may strain resources if a change were not made.
