SPD politician proud of citizen money compromise – “never was possible” with Union in government
Created: 11/22/2022, 5:22 p.m
By: Jana Stäbener
Citizens’ income is coming – albeit with more sanctions than planned.
With the Union in government, however, that would “never have been possible,” said the AfA chairwoman from the SPD.
Actually, the citizens' income could have been decided a long time ago if the Union had not blocked the new draft law in the Bundesrat.
But now there seems to be a compromise between the traffic light coalition and the Union (CDU, CSU).
The citizen's income is to replace the current Hartz IV benefits on January 1, 2023 - but with significantly more sanctions for recipients than originally planned.
The chairwoman of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeit (AfA) at the SPD Cansel Kiziltepe is nevertheless optimistic to
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from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Citizens' money: Union prevails in the case of sanctions
This Wednesday (November 23) the citizen's income is to be finally decided, because then the mediation committee of the Bundestag and Bundesrat will discuss the disputed points and agree on a compromise.
However, as the
German Press Agency (dpa)
reported on Tuesday, November 22nd, the preliminary compromise provides for decisive changes to the original draft law.
According to the
image
, the Union is confident of victory.
“It essentially stays with Hartz IV, only the name changes.
Encourage and challenge remains, ”says the CDU leadership.
The Union prevailed, especially with the sanctions.
According to
dpa
should this be possible in the form of power withdrawal from the first day of the preliminary compromise – without exceptions.
The fact that almost all sanctions were to be abolished caused protests not only in the Union but also in job centers.
The trust period of six months provided for by the traffic light, during which there should be no reduction in performance in the event of breaches of duty, should be omitted entirely in the preliminary compromise.
The waiting period with milder regulations, originally set for 24 months, should only be twelve months.
According to the
dpa , the Union used the related protective assets
a reduction from 60,000 euros to 40,000 euros.
The more generous additional income limits during the receipt of the citizen's allowance - for example for affected young people who earn something extra - should remain in place.
That was especially important to the FDP.
More about citizen money? 7 tweets that perfectly summarize the Hartz IV successor.
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Citizens' money with the Union in government "never been possible"
BuzzFeed News DE
asks the head of the SPD's Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeit (AfA), Cansel Kiziltepe, if she feels the coalition has failed on citizen income?
She shows up
satisfied despite the concessions.
"I am confident that we are approaching a good compromise on citizen income." Finally, a "cultural change in basic security" is taking place, according to Kiziltepe.
With regard to the forthcoming deliberations of the Mediation Committee on Wednesday, it is important to her that the Citizens' Income Act reflects the "core concerns of cooperation and further training".
"We want to get people into sustainable and good work instead of temporary jobs."
"We have achieved something here in the traffic light that would never have been possible with the Union," the SPD politician is certain.
She represents the Berlin constituency of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg/Prenzlauer Berg Ost as a member of parliament.
In addition to the overdue increase in standard rates, it is above all a success that the mediation priority is abolished in the new compromise on citizen income.
In addition, in future the additional earnings of young people will be protected in the basic security system, the sanction rates will be reduced and protection for assets and the home will be increased.
At Kiziltepe, despite the compromise, there is still a lot of anger left after the citizen money debate.
"The Union's undignified political games and deliberate use of false information have unnecessarily polarized the debate," she said
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.
"Playing off low-income and unemployed people against each other in this way has nothing to do with constructive opposition work!"
The chairwoman of the AfA from the SPD, Cansel Kiziltepe, accuses the Union of having "unnecessarily polarized" the debate.
© Cansel Kiziltepe
According to a long-term study, sanctions from Hartz IV can even cause illnesses
The Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband and the “Sanktionsfrei” association have been criticizing the sanctions of Hartz IV for a long time.
They refer to the scientific long-term study "Hartz Plus", which was created in cooperation with the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW).
It shows that the sanctions have an intimidating effect and that cuts in basic social security could even cause illness if they are violated.
According to a press release from September 2022 by the welfare association, those surveyed as part of the "Hartz Plus" study mostly perceive contact with the job centers as a hindrance rather than as a support.
“Sanctions are not having the claimed effect.
They almost always create a culture of distrust.
People feel intimidated and stigmatized.
Sanctions don't get people into work and have no place in modern basic security," says Helena Steinhaus, the founder of "Sanktionsfrei".
Ulrich Schneider, managing director of Paritätisches, made it clear at the time: “The poverty rates must finally come to an end and sanctions should be completely abolished.
Only then can one speak of overcoming Hartz IV and a real citizen’s income.”
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The Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband also praised the proposal for higher taxes for the rich in the energy crisis.