Achim Brötel, president of the German district assembly (Landkreistag) and district administrator of the Neckar‑Odenwald district, publicly endorsed the reform recommendations of the Social State Commission while calling for reduced obligations on local authorities in the social sector.
He told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”‘s midday edition that “districts stand ready for a vigorous implementation of the recommendations”. However, he noted that “a solution to the dramatic municipal financial situation is still not guaranteed by these measures”.
Brötel stressed the need for further reforms, especially where current large cost drivers exist. The municipal leader highlighted integration assistance, child and youth welfare, and nursing care as key areas requiring attention.
Regarding the commission’s suggestion to merge social benefits, Brötel expressed support. “A unified social‑benefit system with fewer responsibilities and interfaces provides added value for everyone: it makes it easier for people to access support and at the same time relieves the administration” he said. “Particularly the integration of housing benefit, child supplement, citizen’s income, and social assistance will bring much clearer oversight and prevent gaps in entitlement”.
According to figures from the district assembly, municipal spending on integration assistance for people with disabilities rose by 13.6 % in 2024, while expenditure on child and youth welfare increased by 17.1 %. The rise in social spending has contributed to the growing financial deficit of municipalities, which is widely judged to have reached roughly €30 billion in the previous year.