CDU welcomes Bas plans against social abuse - but calls for improvements

Leading CDU politicians have welcomed the proposals from Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) to combat social abuse, but are calling for improvements. It is particularly important that the fight against social abuse does not stop at the benefit recipients themselves, "but rather targets the organized structures behind them: criminal gangs, exploitative employers and landlords who make money with fictitious employment relationships and inhumane junk properties," said the chairman of the CDU employee wing CDA, Dennis Radtke, to the Reuters news agency.

Anyone who turns other people's needs into a business model must feel the full force of the rule of law. Social security fraud is not a trivial offense. Better controls and functioning data exchange are long overdue. "At the same time, this must not give rise to general suspicion against people who are actually dependent on support. A strong welfare state helps those who need help - and consistently protects itself from those who take advantage of it," warned Radtke.

Union parliamentary group vice-president Günter Krings also welcomed the Bas proposals, but added that one should not only look at where migrants are being exploited, "but also where German or foreign welfare recipients are cheating." “A comprehensive exchange of data between all relevant authorities is therefore just as long overdue as the exclusion of convicted basic security recipients who avoid going to prison,” demanded the CDU politician to the “Rheinische Post”.

Federal Labor Minister Bas (SPD) presented an action plan for various measures on Wednesday, which is to be decided by the cabinet in September. With the action plan, the government is also targeting so-called junk properties.

The focus is primarily on cases of organized social benefit fraud in connection with immigrants from Southeastern Europe. This involves run-down properties or apartments that, despite their poor condition, are rented out to people receiving social benefits at high rents. The exchange of data between social, immigration, registration, financial, security and construction authorities is to be expanded. Further measures concern undeclared work, fictitious employment and organized fraud structures.