Overview

• At the Deutscher Fürsorgetag in Erfurt, President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier called for effective reforms that are implemented fast and cautioned that a social‑state overhaul cannot be done "with a chainsaw."
• The Deutscher Städtetag warned of a record municipal shortfall in 2025 of more than €30 billion, possibly €36 billion, after a combined €24 billion deficit in 2024.
• City leaders said the main cost drivers are child and youth welfare, integration assistance for disabled people, nursing support and daycare, noting that Bürgergeld is not the primary factor.
• CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann welcomed Steinmeier’s intervention and pressed for rapid steps to eliminate disincentives and combat misuse, increasing pressure on the coalition.
• Municipal officials urged centralizing non‑discretionary tasks such as parental allowance, housing benefit, BAföG and vehicle registration, expanding digitalization to reduce duplicate applications, and raising cities’ share of value‑added tax.