Enlarge image

Juso boss Türmer: Radically simplify administrative processes for families

Photo:

Moritz Frankenberg/dpa

In the debate about basic child welfare, Juso boss Philipp Türmer harshly criticized the FDP. The most recent statements revealed “the true face of the FDP in combating child poverty,” Türmer told SPIEGEL. »More than one in five children in Germany lives in poverty. The FDP doesn’t care about these children.” That is cynical and should not be the government’s attitude.

The Social Democrat emphasized that the child allowance is currently only being claimed by 35 percent of those entitled to it. “The goal of basic child welfare is that poor children and their parents finally receive the benefits to which they are entitled,” says Türmer. “We have to radically simplify the administrative processes for families.” The FDP is blocking the additional administrative positions necessary for this without making a counter-proposal. "In other words: The FDP stands for complicated bureaucracy and more child poverty."

The FDP parliamentary group recently opposed Family Minister Lisa Paus's (Greens) proposals for basic child welfare. The minister's draft envisages, among other things, the creation of 5,000 new administrative positions. The aim is to ensure that applications can be processed and that the money reaches the families, explained Paus.

This requirement has met with criticism. “We have to make our welfare state fitter, not fatter,” said the First Parliamentary Managing Director of the FDP parliamentary group, Johannes Vogel, to SPIEGEL. Educational and advancement opportunities need to be improved instead of “continually expanding the welfare state as a matter of principle.”

From 2025 onwards, the basic child security scheme is intended to bundle benefits such as child benefit or child allowance. The social reform was actually supposed to come into force on January 1, 2025. There are now concerns as to whether this schedule can be adhered to.

Juso boss Turmer sees responsibility for a possible delay with the Free Democrats. "The fact that we still don't have a proper timetable for the introduction nine months before the planned start of basic child support is mainly due to the FDP's refusal," said Türmer. The FDP had repeatedly blamed Minister Paus for a possible delay: her draft bill was not capable of approval.

so-called/sev