The Left Party has called on the German government to intensify its fight against poverty in the country and appoint an anti-poverty commissioner. “People affected by poverty have no lobbyists in the government or the ruling parties” said party leader Ines Schwerdtner in an interview with the “Frankfurter Rundschau” (Thursday edition). “Their problems hardly get any public attention, even though a fifth of the people in Germany are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. That’s why we, as The Left, demand the appointment of a dedicated commissioner for people affected by poverty, who clearly focuses on the problems of people with low incomes.”
Since such commissioners are not bound by cabinet discipline, they could “advise the government independently and credibly point out shortcomings” Schwerdtner added. Concretely, such a person could examine new laws and assess their impact on people with low incomes. Additionally, they could bring experts together to develop strategies against poverty.