Philipp Amthor, the secretary‑general at the German Ministry for Digital Affairs, welcomed the proposal by Saxony‑Anhalt’s state premier, Sven Schulze (both members of the CDU), that citizens’‑allowance recipients who are capable of working could be called upon to perform municipal duties.
In a recent interview on RTL’s “Frühstart” and ntv, Amthor stressed that it is a matter of fairness: “We must discuss whether those who can work and can contribute should also contribute to our social state”. He said this view fits into the broader debate on reforming the citizens’ allowance. “Our concept – the ‘New Basic Security’ – is already aimed at preserving the social state, but it must also ensure that those who can contribute do so” the CDU politician added.
Under Article 12 of the German Basic Law, no one may be compelled to perform a specific occupation. The sole legal exceptions are court‑ordered deprivation of liberty and a universal public‑service duty. Under § 16d of the Social Code Book II (SGB II), recipients of the citizens’ allowance can be bound to so‑called “employment opportunities”. The aim is to maintain employability. Participation is considered a duty of cooperation and can already be penalised by a reduction of the allowance.
A stricter labour‑obligation stance was first articulated by the AfD’s parliamentary group. In October 2023, the AfD proposed that unemployed recipients who refuse “citizen work” should receive only in‑kind assistance rather than cash benefits.