Dispute erupts in Germany over money for Ukrainian refugees

Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), proposed to stop civil assistance payments to Ukrainian refugees in Germany. Instead, he suggests switching them to lower benefits - those designated for asylum seekers.

This initiative has already sparked strong criticism from the Social Democrats (SPD), who consider the proposal irrational and harmful.

Söder firmly believes that excessive support for Ukrainians creates unequal conditions and discourages employment. He argues that this is unfair to other categories of refugees.

SPD’s reaction

Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD) called the proposal unproductive and said it does not support the government’s unified course.

The coalition agreement stipulates maintaining civil assistance for Ukrainian refugees - the government must act under these agreed terms.

Dirk Wiese, an SPD deputy, emphasized that the expected savings will not materialize. Instead, administrative burdens on local authorities will increase, creating a shuffling of money from one pocket to another effect.

Meanwhile, CDU representative Torsten Frei gave partial support to Söder’s initiative - acknowledging that the issue deserves discussion, but emphasizing that any changes can only happen with the consent of all coalition partners.

As we can see, Söder’s proposal has opened a new front of debate within the German government. It has already sparked political tension within the coalition and cast doubt on the stability of the agreed approach to social support for Ukrainian refugees.

Recently, it became known that the German military drafted a strategic document identifying Russia as an existential threat to Germany and Europe as a whole.

Before that, the German Bundeswehr warned that Russia is preparing for war with NATO and could be ready by the end of this decade, according to a military report obtained by German media.