(de-news.net) – The CDU has responded with measured composure to growing internal dissent within the SPD regarding the coalition’s proposed reform of the Bürgergeld system. CDU parliamentary secretary Steffen Bilger emphasized that internal disagreements within the SPD would not obstruct the implementation of what he described as essential policy changes. He reiterated that the reform was a product of joint negotiation and consensus within the coalition agreement, which had been formally ratified by SPD members six months prior. Bilger also reminded critics that the legislative initiative originated from Federal Labour Minister Bärbel Bas, who concurrently serves as the SPD’s party chair, indicating the reform’s alignment with SPD leadership.
Johannes Winkel, head of the Junge Union and CDU Bundestag member, issued a pointed critique of the SPD base’s opposition. He argued that repeated challenges to the coalition agreement undermine the stability and credibility of governance. Winkel called on the SPD to clarify its stance on national responsibility, suggesting that the party’s attachment to Bürgergeld reflects a diminished connection to the realities of the working class.
The proposed tightening of sanctions under SGB II has mobilized a grassroots petition within the SPD. Prominent signatories include MEP Maria Noichl, Juso chair Philipp Türmer, and Aziz Bozkurt, who leads the SPD’s Migration and Diversity working group. These members argue that the reform risks punishing poverty and deviates from core social democratic values. Their petition outlines three principal demands: preventing the escalation of sanctions, enhancing support for affected individuals, and actively countering populist narratives. The initiative calls for a shift in political discourse toward addressing the structural causes of poverty, rather than relying on symbolic or punitive measures. It also warns against a return to austerity policies reminiscent of Agenda 2010, cautioning against indiscriminate cuts to social welfare programs.
Aziz Bozkurt, who also serves as Berlin’s State Secretary for Social Affairs, criticized the SPD leadership’s current trajectory. He contended that disproportionate sanctions contradict the party’s foundational principles and provoke widespread fears of social decline. Bozkurt expressed confidence that the petition would garner sufficient support to advance through the party’s formal channels.
According to party procedure, the petition will be officially initiated if one percent of SPD members — approximately 3,570 individuals from at least ten local districts and three federal states — sign it. If, within three months, the initiative secures backing from 20 percent of the membership, the SPD will be obligated to adopt the petition’s demands as formal policy, unless a countervailing member vote is held.
