Germany is considering mandatory work for recipients of Bürgergeld
A year ago, a new rule was implemented in the city of Greiz in the German state of Thüringen, requiring asylum seekers to work mandatory jobs for a small compensation. Now, the mayor of the city, CDU politician Uli Schaefer, is seeking to expand this measure to include all recipients of Bürgergeld, whether they are German or foreign.
Schefer believes that this measure will be a necessary step to encourage people to return to the labor market, emphasizing that compulsory work should be applied to everyone who is able to work. However, he acknowledges that this requires a legal change from the German parliament, and for this reason, he has made an official request to Labor Minister Barbel Bas, urging the swift enactment of the necessary legislation. In his initial assessment of the Greiz experience, Schefer noted that 64 asylum seekers who underwent compulsory work were later able to enter the labor market with official contracts. He added that 68 other individuals are still working in community jobs under the supervision of 13 local entities, with interest from other parties to participate.
He believes that social benefits should be linked to the principle of "solidarity with those in need, and compulsory work for those who are able," emphasizing that the goal is for "Bürgergeld recipients to learn again to wake up at seven in the morning and engage in regular work at eight."
Although the German government does not plan to increase the monthly allocations for Bürgergeld recipients amid rising living costs, the Schäfer project comes at a sensitive time, as authorities are trying to reduce public spending, especially since the budget allocated for Bürgergeld assistance in 2025 is estimated at 29.6 billion euros, in addition to 13 billion euros for housing and heating costs.
However, in the city of Schwerin, which also discussed imposing mandatory work on recipients of Bürgergeld, this idea was retracted last May after being deemed "incompatible with the constitution," the same legal challenge that the Greiz proposal may face. Nevertheless, it seems that Schiffer is determined to continue political pressure, asserting that their experience in Greiz demonstrates the effectiveness of this model in pushing people towards independence and self-reliance.