Reform demanded: CDU General Secretary Linnemann sees no future for the citizen's allowance

Tagesspiegel Reform demanded: CDU General Secretary Linnemann sees no future for the citizen's allowance Natalie Tenberg • 2 hours • 2 minutes reading time If the Union is involved in the future government, the CDU General Secretary promises a reform of the citizen's allowance. The measure will then no longer exist in its current form. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann does not believe that the citizen's allowance will still exist in a year's time. "In a year's time, this citizen's allowance will no longer exist in this form. It will not be called citizen's allowance either," he said in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper, which was published on Saturday evening. In the interview, the politician called for a major reform of the measure and said: "If I can put it this way, everyone who can work must go to work. Otherwise there will be no social benefits. I think that is crucial.” He said it was not fair that “those who go to work every day are financing people who could go to work but use the welfare state.” He also refused to pass laws together with the SPD and the Greens: “We will be damned if we discuss or pass any party-political issues with this leftover traffic light.” Excepted are issues that are absolutely necessary, such as “the resilience of the Federal Constitutional Court.” He also wants to make Germany safer. “It cannot be that more and more women are saying that they no longer dare to go into town alone when it gets dark,” said Linnemann. “There should really only be ‘go areas’. Every ‘no-go area’ is a capitulation of the state.” Linnemann also sees the election of Donald Trump as an opportunity for Germany. Trump will deregulate the economy and abolish bureaucracy. "This means that we are forced, at the latest now in Europe, to ensure that we put an end to this bureaucracy, these reporting obligations, sustainability obligations, we are regulating ourselves to death," Linnemann told Bild. (tsp)