Germany’s interior minister pushes Bürgergeld cut, sparking Union backing and SPD resistance

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has reignited debate over the Bürgergeld basic‑income level, arguing that the current “Regelsatz … is currently too high” and that “significantly more can be saved”. He claims the scheme costs about €46.6 billion a year and that cutting the standard rate could help consolidate public finances.

Union parties (CDU/CSU) have voiced support for a review, with figures such as Marc Biadacz and Peter Aumer backing a reassessment. The SPD, however, warns of legal hurdles and stresses that the rate is already recalculated statistically every five years under the Regelbedarfsermittlungsgesetz.

Parallel discussions among the Länder interior ministers consider tightening eligibility for non‑German citizens, but the federal ministries have no calculation on potential savings. Roughly 2.4 million of the 5.2 million Bürgergeld recipients are non‑German nationals, accounting for €21.7 billion of payments, yet any reduction based on nationality would face legal constraints.