The Left party leader Ines Schwerdtner cautions that the planned welfare‑state reform could increase bureaucracy for citizens. Speaking to the television channel ntv on Monday, she said:
> “I worry about Bärbel Bas’s suggestion to align everything with the Jobcenter. We all know how the Jobcenter already operates – it’s already overwhelmed. This kind of blanket standardisation and simplification should not make things worse for those who rely on it”.
She added that the social state’s purpose is to protect people. “All of us could suddenly need to go to an office because of illness or some other reason. In such moments we should not be penalised” she explained.
Schwerdtner clarified that the party will continue to push for simplification and improvement as long as it benefits people. She added, “If a reform ends up aggregating everything into one office and that deepens people’s problems, we will not support it”. When the law is presented, she said, the party will examine it closely”.