As of: February 23, 2024, 12:35 p.m
By: Felix Durach
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Markus Lanz argues with a Green politician.
The ZDF presenter is particularly concerned about his comments about refugees.
Munich - When the German Bundestag debated the introduction of a payment card for asylum seekers on Thursday, the focus kept falling on Hanover.
The representatives of the SPD and the Greens in particular referred to the Lower Saxony state capital.
Such a payment card has been available there since December 8th - without any major restrictions.
Hanover's mayor Belit Onay (Bündnis90/Die Grünen) spoke about the model in his city on the ZDF talk show “Markus Lanz” and was met with incomprehension from the moderator and the other guests.
The core question was: Does the payment card discriminate against refugees?
Payment card debate with “Markus Lanz” – discrimination or implementation of applicable law?
“It has not been proven that the migration decision to come to Germany depends on performance.
That certainly plays a role, but not the only one,” said Onay on Markus Lanz’s ZDF talk show, referring to the debate about so-called pull factors.
That is why Hanover deliberately introduced a “non-discriminatory” payment card for asylum seekers.
In practice, this means that asylum seekers can withdraw the full amount of the benefits transferred to the card in cash and are not subject to any geographical restrictions on their use.
“No discrimination whatsoever through any restrictions,” emphasized the Hanover Mayor.
Onay then received counter-arguments from CDU district administrator Christian Hergott.
“This is not a card that discriminates.
This is a card that simply implements applicable law.” The payment card must be used to correct errors in the existing system, demands the Union politician Markus Lanz.
This would include transfers of asylum seekers back to their countries of origin.
A process that is still possible in Hanover.
That's why Hergott's district (Saale-Orla district) limits cash withdrawals on the card to 50 euros per person.
This “pocket money” is used for services that cannot be paid for with a card.
Markus Lanz spoke to Hanover's mayor Belit Onay (Bündnis90/Die Grünen) about the payment card for asylum seekers.
© Screenshot/ZDF media library
“Unworldly”: Lanz reacts incredulously to the Green Party mayor’s statement about the asylum payment card
For Green politician Onay, however, it is precisely this restriction that is a problem because it would lead to problems in reality.
“Go to the weekly market.
Pay with your credit card.
Go to the swimming pool and pay for some fries with your credit card.
In most areas that will not be possible,” countered Onay.
An argument that probably went too far for Markus Lanz.
The moderator intervened: “The people we're talking about here certainly don't go shopping at the expensive weekly market, do they?
“We agree on that?” asked Lanz, visibly surprised, and described Onay’s statements as “unworldly”.
“In Hanover we have a lot of weekly markets that are used by families with low incomes because there are good, cheap and fresh offers there,” said the Green politician in the ZDF talk.
“Come to Hanover and we’ll go to the weekly market together,” Onay offered the talk show host.
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Debate about payment cards: Coalition in a clinch – CSU sees government “unable to act”
The debate with Markus Lanz is also representative of the differences of opinion in the Bundestag.
The Greens opposed a change in the law with regard to payment cards.
Pilot projects – like in Hanover or the Saale-Orla district – would show that this is not necessary for the implementation of the map.
However, the SPD and FDP are calling for exactly this change in the law for a federal regulation in order to grant the states legal certainty.
FDP vice-president Wolfgang Kubicki had already warned the Greens of a blockade stance at the weekend and threatened to break up the traffic light coalition.
However, it has now been decided that the payment card will be introduced nationwide. “The question of whether payment cards will be introduced is not up for debate at all,” Andreas Audretsch (Bündnis90/The Greens) made it clear in the Bundestag on Thursday.
The Union faction had called a current meeting in the Bundestag because of the disagreement in the coalition.
Stephan Stracke (CSU) accused the traffic lights of being “incapable of acting” and thus harming the country.
Traffic light coalition gets entangled in “small-minded” debate about payment cards
Members of the traffic light factions were also worried about the external impact in the current debate. “The topic is so small-minded that it is difficult to explain to people out there what it is about,” said Annika Klose (SPD) on Thursday.
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a press conference on Monday (February 19) that the change in the law was "so narrow, I don't believe that there should be so much controversy." But the dispute continues.
(fd)