Sven Schulze, the CDU minister president of Saxony-Anhalt, is calling for a work obligation for citizen's income recipients. The SPD-led Federal Ministry of Labor is skeptical, warning of high costs and administrative burdens. Schulze intends to implement a model in his state.
Sven Schulze, the CDU minister president of Saxony-Anhalt, has demanded a work obligation for citizen's income recipients. In an interview with Bild am Sonntag, he suggested that the unemployed could assist in municipal tasks, such as sweeping leaves or clearing snow. "Why can't healthy people at home without a job do that?", he asked. Communal work is not forbidden in Germany, Schulze emphasized.
The SPD-led Federal Ministry of Labor has responded reservedly. A spokesperson told Bild that creating such work opportunities would involve significant costs and administrative effort, including organization and supervision. These expenses would add to the ongoing benefits. Instead, the primary goal should be to place recipients in regular jobs.
Schulze countered sharply: "Work obligation – it works, and it must be done. And the bureaucratic effort will be relatively small." He criticized the ministry: "If you want it, you can make it happen. If you don't, you invent excuses, just like the Federal Ministry of Labor." In the coming days, he plans to present a timeline in Saxony-Anhalt to demonstrate feasibility. "The state must not be taken for a ride, especially not the social state."
The ministry spokesperson acknowledged that such measures could stabilize daily routines and promote participation. However, they must be time-limited, individually justified, and embedded in an integration strategy. Implementation is up to local job centers.
