"Criticized" SPD Slams Merz over Social Cuts Proposals for Vulnerable Groups
- Authored by Florian Schillat
- Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes
Onerous Demands or Heavy responsibilities - Struggling with Resistance: SPD Criticizes Merz Over Social spending Reductions
The SPD parliamentary group has bluntly condemned Friedrich Merz's statement regarding a potential review of funding in the social and municipal sectors, specifically targeting vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, children, and young people. "It's downright reprehensible how Mr. Merz is trying to set people with disabilities, as well as children and young people in difficult situations, against one another and the general public," stated SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Dagmar Schmidt to stern.
Both Merz, as the leader of the CDU, and the Federal Chancellor had declared during the Kommunalkongress of the German Towns and Municipalities Association in Berlin that a thorough examination of expenditures in the social sector would be necessary. Merz stated, "annual increases of up to 10 percent in youth welfare or integration assistance for years is no longer acceptable," on Wednesday.
He emphasized the need to strike a balance between providing adequate support to the truly needy individuals and the budgetary constraints of the public sector. Detailed consultations are in progress, said Merz, which may also involve the coalition partner SPD.
SPD Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader Schmidt: "Callous Perspective of the Social State"
"The social state is not a money pit to be drained based on cash flow," rebuked Social Democrat Schmidt, who is in charge of work and social affairs, education, and family among other things as deputy parliamentary group leader. The social state is the "bedrock" of social unity. Especially children and young people require protection and support, affirmed Schmidt.
Individuals grumbling about escalating costs in integration assistance and youth welfare without even touchingly on their root causes - notably rising personnel and material costs, as well as an increase in recipients - exhibit "an alarmingly cold perspective of the social state."
Merz has promised the cities and municipalities that the federal government would maintain a less bureaucratic allocation of funding – citing the merit of local decisions regarding which specific projects should be supported. However, a critical examination of the extent to which funding can still be provided will be demanded. "If everything is backed at once, it's almost as if nothing is backed." Funding should be targeted where a clear added value for citizens is recognizable.
"Instead of second-guessing funding across the board, Mr. Merz should rather advocate for better support for families, more prevention, and a solidarity-based finance of our social system," requested SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Schmidt. Anyone disregarding the social state merely as a savings opportunity "has yet to grasp the social question of our time."
- SPD
- Friedrich Merz
- Dagmar Schmidt
- cuts proposal
- CDU
- children
- youth welfare
- head
- SPD parliamentary group
- Berlin
The SPD parliamentary group, led by Dagmar Schmidt, has criticized Friedrich Merz's proposal for potential cuts in social sectors, particularly targeting vulnerable groups like children and young people, as it allegedly promotes a cold and callous perspective of the social state. In response, Schmidt advocates for Merz to champion better support for families, more prevention, and a solidarity-based finance of the social system, rather than viewing the social state as a mere savings opportunity.
This critical stance from the SPD on the cuts proposal follows the CDU's declaration made during the Kommunalkongress in Berlin, where Merz, as the CDU head, and the Federal Chancellor discussed the necessity of examining expenditures in the social sector. The proposed directive, if enacted, is expected to have implications in the realm of policy-and-legislation and general-news.
