Overview

• In an ARD ‘Maischberger’ appearance, Hendrik Wüst questioned the fairness of fully covering rent for recipients compared with low‑income taxpayers.
• Wüst said rules allowing arrivals from other EU countries with a Minijob to immediately top up with Bürgergeld should be changed.
• He also raised concerns about the duration and level of payments under the current system.
• Federal Labour Minister Bärbel Bas is expected to present reform plans soon, with reports pointing to higher penalties for missed Jobcenter appointments or repeated job refusals.
• Wüst said North Rhine‑Westphalia will pass most of its €21 billion share of the federal €100 billion special fund to municipalities, prioritizing repairs to schools and kindergartens.