Approximately 17,000 children are affected by pension cuts in Germany
Approximately 17,000 children in Germany live in families affected by cuts to Bürgergeld, which is a sharp increase compared to the previous year. The Green Party warned that these sanctions unfairly affect children who bear no responsibility for their parents' situation.
In 2024, the Ministry of Labor reported that approximately 16,800 minors were affected by sanctions, an increase of 5,400 children from the previous year. Sanctions were imposed on 8,300 families, including 3,700 single-parent families, with an average reduction of 63 euros per family, which is slightly higher than the previous year.
The Greens criticized the CDU/CSU and SPD plans to tighten basic income support. Misbah Khan explained: "When sanctions are imposed on families, children bear the consequences, even though they bear no responsibility for their parents' situation." Timon Dzienus added that stricter laws could increase child poverty and affect a larger number of children.
The Ministry of Labor confirmed that children and youth are "fully protected" during sanctions. The reductions only affect the allowances of the violating person, while payments to children and other family members continue in full. There are also exceptions for severe cases or mental health issues.
The Greens continue to call for reforms to the Bürgergeld rules to prevent the suffering of children under what they describe as 'inhumane sanctions', warning that without changes, the increasing child poverty could become an urgent social crisis.