Germany's federal government is pushing forward with its plans to reform the country's long-term unemployment benefit, known as citizen's allowance (BĂĽrgergeld).
According to the draft law, which was passed by the cabinet in December, the main changes to the benefit are set to come into force by mid-summer of this year.
But an initial debate on the draft law in the Bundestag on Thursday revealed that many lawmakers, including some within the federal government coalition, are not happy with the planned changes as they're written.
Here's the latest on the looming end of Bürgergeld, including what changes recipients of the benefit should expect.
What's changing and by when?
There are a couple major aspects to the BĂĽrgergeld reform that are expected to pass.
The main change is that the long-term unemployment benefit is be renamed "new basic security" (Neue Grundsicherung).
In addition, the newly renamed benefit is to come with stricter sanctions for people who miss appointments with the Jobcentre, cannot be contacted, or refuse work offers.
These changes, which would affect around 5.3 million people in Germany who currently receive BĂĽrgergeld, are expected to take affect by July 1st.
READ ALSO: Who will be affected by Germany’s Bürgergeld reform?
The other major proposed change is that refugees from Ukraine, who entered the country on or after April 1st last year, would no longer receive the benefit. From then on, Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Germany may apply for Asylum Seekers' Benefits instead.
According to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, for example, an eligible single person qualifies for up to €455 per month, as opposed to the €563 per month that eligible Ukrainians had received through citizen's allowance.
There is a transitional period for those affected who are already receiving the benefit: after the new law comes into force, they could still receive it for a maximum of three months.
READ ALSO: Would cutting benefits for Ukrainians boost employment in Germany?
Set to pass
After the first reading on Thursday, the draft law will now be discussed in committees, then the Bundestag will vote on it.
Both of the above mentioned reforms still need to be passed by Germany's legislature before they can be signed into law, but having been brought forward by the governing coalition, which maintains a majority in the Bundestag, they are expected to pass.
That said, the draft law has been met with push-back.
While the law was under discussion on Thursday, opposing members of the Social Democrat Party (SPD), which made up the centre-left contingent of the governing coalition, have reportedly launched a petition to ease up some of the restrictions.
Social associations and the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) have also called for relaxing parts of the reform, suggesting that the planned tightening wouldn't amount to significant savings in the budget, but that in the worst cases affected people could lose their homes.
The Left and Green parties, which are against the reform, have accused government leaders including Chancellor Friedrich Merz of lying about how much money the reforms could be expected to save.
Green MP Timon Dzienus said that the chancellor and CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann had promised billions in savings, but noted that according to the draft law only a maximum of €86 million would be saved in 2026.
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