Labor Minister Bärbel Bas submits delayed anti-fraud action plan to coalition

After missing the July deadline, Labor Minister Bärbel Bas submitted the coalition's action plan to curb social benefit fraud, prompting anger within the Union parliamentary group that had previously demanded her resignation. The draft is currently under review by the coalition before being forwarded to the cabinet for final approval, with specific laws to be enacted subsequently. One debated element concerns the exclusion of individuals sought under arrest warrants from receiving Bürgergeld, with the plan limiting the measure to those already convicted and evading imprisonment.

Critics note that police can also pursue non-convicted suspects, raising due-process concerns. Additionally, the plan seeks to dismantle criminal networks that lure Southeast European migrants into nominal or fake jobs to claim welfare, while landlords profit from substandard housing. Bas emphasized that organizers of such exploitation will face stronger accountability and that EU free-movement must not be abused for profit.