The Bundestag has moved forward with the planned tightening of the citizen’s basic income. In a roll‑call vote on Thursday, 321 members voted in favor of redesigning the citizen’s basic income as a new form of basic security; 268 opposed, and two abstained.
A key element of the reform is a name change: the social minimum support will no longer be called “Bürgergeld” but “Grundsicherungsgeld”. The shift comes with stricter participation requirements and tougher sanctions. If a recipient cancels a support measure or fails to apply, they will face a heavier reduction in their benefit than before. The standard requirement (Regelbedarf) can be lowered by 30 % for up to three months.
The law introduces a graded procedure for missing appointments. If a person fails to appear at three scheduled meetings in a row, the authority may ultimately remove the claim entirely. According to the reform text, those who are eligible and employable are now required to use their work capacity to the extent that is reasonably expected.