German Districts and Municipalities Demand a Decisive Shift in Social and Migration Policy. “This Bundestag election really is a high-stakes game”said Achim Brötel, President of the German District Association, to the Funke Media Group’s Sunday editions.
It’s about the question of whether the government has the strength to initiate fundamental reforms. “If that doesn’t work, then I see the democratic constitutional state in Germany in real danger in the medium and long term. We’ve seen in Austria and the US how quickly states can fall into the hands of populists”Brötel warned.
In a 20-page demand paper, the district association is calling for comprehensive reforms, including the reform of the basic allowance. “The basic allowance must be reformed – up to the complete disconnection of benefits for total refusers”said Brötel.
He also spoke out in favor of abolishing the waiting period: “The waiting period for the basic allowance must go. We accept any rent in the first year. This leads to landlords charging a few euros more per square meter for basic allowance recipients, because they know it will be taken care of anyway”claimed the district association’s president. This would drive up rents even further – and basic allowance recipients would still have to pay for overpriced housing if they couldn’t find a place at reasonable prices after the first year. “This can’t just keep going, because it ultimately leads to social division”said Brötel.
The district association’s president is also calling for a restructuring of the long-term care insurance, which should become a “full-casualty insurance.””We have cases where the premiums have increased by over 1,000 euros per month in the end. And: Eigen contributions of more than 3,000 euros per month are no longer a rarity. Who gets that kind of pension?”Brötel asked. Those who can no longer afford these prices would receive help with long-term care, which the municipalities would finance.
“We can no longer pay the constantly and strongly increasing costs in the long run”said Brötel, referring to the recently strongly increased municipal deficit. A restructuring of the long-term care insurance would, however, lead to higher social insurance contributions. “Work will become even more expensive. That’s no good news, but we simply lack an alternative”said Brötel.
Looking at migration policy, the district association’s president reaffirmed his demand to abolish the subsidiary protection status. “The subsidiary protection status should be abolished and war refugees from conflict zones should be taken in more strongly in the neighboring countries of the crisis regions. We also need to deport consistently those who have committed crimes in Germany.”
Those who want to integrate and work in Germany should still be able to do so. With regard to Syria, Brötel also spoke out in favor of deporting out-of-country Syrians who are required to leave. The district association should start with those who have committed crimes, according to the district association’s president.
Looking at the disastrous financial situation of the districts – 240 of the 294 districts currently have problems with the budget balance and there is a record deficit – the district association’s president is calling for a tripling of the municipal share of the value-added tax and the takeover of the costs of refugee accommodation from the federal government.
Municipal additional costs resulting from federal laws, such as the integration of the disabled or child and youth welfare, must also be reduced. The district association is also calling for more municipal self-responsibility, a need-based medical care and a faster rollout of fiber-optic networks in the demand paper. The German District Association represents the 294 districts and their 11,000 municipalities nationwide.