The traffic light parties are planning to significantly raise the standard rate Hartz-IV and yet the planned citizens' money has largely lacked real reforms so far.
Berlin - Social policy was certainly one of the core issues of the traffic light parties in the recent election campaign for the federal election in 2021. Especially with the SPD and the Greens, the issues of social justice and basic security, alongside climate protection, were clearly in the foreground.
While the Greens had repeatedly spoken out in favor of basic child security in order to further promote equal opportunities in the Federal Republic, the Social Democrats focused on Hartz IV.
Hartz IV becomes Bürgergeld: traffic light parties discuss the future of unemployment benefits
The unemployment benefit II, introduced by the last SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in 2005, is one of the greatest legacies of the Social Democrats in recent decades and is now to be given a new coat of paint by a new government. The parties of the possible traffic light coalition have therefore agreed to abolish Hartz IV in its current form and to replace it with a citizen's money. "Citizens' money should respect the dignity of the individual, enable them to participate in society and be digitally and easily accessible," says the exploratory paper by the SPD, Greens and FDP.
Even during the coalition negotiations, critical voices were voiced in relation to the plans of the traffic light parties.
Can the Bürgergeld actually lead to an improvement in basic social security or is the possible new federal government just wrapping Hartz IV in a different guise?
The
Business Insider
portal is now reporting the first concrete plans as to what changes the traffic light parties could actually bring about for the citizens,
with reference to negotiating circles.
Traffic light parties want to increase the standard rate for Hartz IV recipients significantly
Accordingly, a significant increase in the standard rate should be up for discussion between the negotiating partners. The previous rate of 446 euros, which is planned to increase to 449 euros in January 2022, is to be increased to 480 euros per month in the form of citizens' money: an increase of almost 7.6 percent. However, it remains to be seen whether this measure will actually be decided upon after the successful formation of a traffic light coalition for the coming year. Not least because the increase in the standard rate would result in billions for the already battered federal budget.
Also in the discussion between the coalition parties should be an increase in the protection of assets.
The recipients of Hartz-IV may currently have savings of 150 euros per year of life.
This results in a maximum amount of 10,050 euros that can be saved in 67 years of life.
An increase in the limit value could also be pending here, as is the case with owning your own real estate.
To what extent these changes will be implemented by the new federal government, however, will only show a coalition agreement.
Hartz IV: Fundamental reforms could fail under a traffic light government
A real restructuring of the existing system is not to be expected in the coming legislative period.
Fundamental reforms of the Hartz IV system are difficult for the reason that a new federal government would also need the support of the states in the form of the Federal Council.
There, a traffic light government would need the support of the Union, which, however, had already announced that it wanted to adhere to the existing regulations for Hartz IV.
Groundbreaking changes in social policy could therefore initially not materialize even under a possible Federal Chancellor Scholz.
(fd)
List of rubric lists: © Kay Nietfeld / dpa
