Bavarian Prime Minister called for stripping all Ukrainian refugees in Germany of increased benefits

Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (Christian Social Union) has called for all Ukrainian refugees in Germany to be stripped of their right to receive the increased social benefit — Bürgergeld.

The statement was made during an interview with the public broadcaster ZDF.

“There should no longer be Bürgergeld for everyone who came from Ukraine,” said Söder, head of the Bavarian government.

According to him, this rule should apply “not only to those who arrive in the future, but to everyone.”

Söder argued that no other country offers Ukrainian refugees such a high level of benefits, which, in his view, explains why relatively few Ukrainians are working in Germany despite having qualifications.

Currently, under the coalition agreement between the SPD and CDU/CSU, Ukrainian refugees who arrive after April 1, 2025, are to receive lower social payments. Those who arrived before this date are still eligible to receive benefits equivalent to those given to German unemployed citizens.

However, this agreement has not yet been enacted into law, and even new arrivals after April 1 continue to receive the full Bürgergeld.

In 2024, Germany spent €46.9 billion on Bürgergeld, of which €22.2 billion went to foreigners. Ukrainian recipients alone received €6.3 billion. The monthly Bürgergeld payment is €563.