Federal Minister of Labour Bärbel Bas (SPD) defended a past statement made in the Bundestag, in which she controversially suggested that no one moves into German social systems. Speaking at a DGB event in Berlin this Tuesday, she admitted that she had initially answered “too shortly” on the matter.
Bas emphasized that there are numerous reasons people come to Germany, noting that they may be fleeing persecution, war, and terror, or they may be highly needed skilled workers. She accused right-wing extremists of exploiting these groups for their own “dirty political agendas”.
Separately, the Labour Minister reaffirmed her commitment to tackling the misuse of social benefits, describing this effort as “not controversial”. She argued that combating misuse ultimately harms those who truly need support and, above all, it is simply fair to those who fund the entire system through their taxes and contributions.