Bavarian Premier Markus Söder calls for ending German social aid to Ukrainian refugees

Markus Söder, the premier of Bavaria and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), has demanded that Germany cease the so‑called “civil assistance” paid to Ukrainian refugees. Söder argues that the program, which costs roughly €50 billion a year, should be restructured by moving Ukrainian refugees out of the regular unemployment‑benefit system and into a lower‑benefit asylum‑seeker scheme, with payments reduced to the constitutional minimum. He also proposes using debit cards for asylum‑seeker cash withdrawals, speeding up expulsions of those without residency rights, and tightening oversight of NGOs that assist migrants.

The proposal comes amid broader budget‑saving debates in Berlin and has sparked sharp criticism from opposition parties, human‑rights groups and NGOs, who warn that many Ukrainian families rely on the current benefits for basic living costs. The discussion is expected to intensify as the federal budget is prepared.