Saxony‑Anhalt’s Minister‑President Sven Schulze (CDU) has proposed that recipients of the Basic Income (Bürgergeld) be required to undertake work, a move that has already drawn scepticism from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, headed by Bärbel Bas (SPD).
The idea behind “job opportunities” is that they could help stabilise daily routines and motivate participation. A spokesperson for “Bild” (Monday edition) noted that such opportunities must be time‑limited, individually justified, and embedded in a broader integration strategy, with the detailed design left to local job centres.
However, the spokesperson also warned about the financial burden: organising and supervising non‑profit job opportunities is costly and administratively demanding, adding to the ongoing standard benefits. “The primary goal therefore has to be the integration of Basic‑Income recipients into regular employment” she emphasized.
Schulze defended his proposal, telling a newspaper that a work obligation is feasible and that the bureaucratic load would be modest. “If people want to do it, they can. If they don’t, they will invent excuses – just like the Federal Ministry of Labour” he said. “I plan to show, in the coming days, a timetable in Saxony‑Anhalt that demonstrates how this can work. The state can’t afford to sit on its hands; the welfare state cannot either”.
In Germany, Article 12 of the Basic Law forbids forcing anyone into a specific job. The only legal exceptions are judicially imposed liberty restrictions and a universal public‑service duty. Under § 16d of the Social Code Book II, Basic‑Income recipients can be obliged to participate in so‑called “job opportunities” to preserve employability. Participation is treated as a cooperation duty and can already be penalised by reducing Basic Income benefits.
A stricter work obligation was first put forward by the AfD faction in the Bundestag. In October 2023, they suggested that unemployed recipients who refuse civic work would receive only material support instead of cash benefits.