Germany’s government has agreed to abolish the controversial Bürgergeld welfare system and repeal the so-called “turbo” citizenship law, in what the coalition parties hailed as a turning point for the country’s social and immigration policy.
But the reforms amount to little more than cosmetic changes, without getting to the roots of the problem caused by the migration crisis, and fall far short of the tougher course centre-right Chancellor Friedrich Merz promised when he took office in May.
The Bürgergeld, a form of jobseekers’ allowance, was introduced under the previous leftist government but, according to the right-wing opposition AfD party, had degenerated into “migrant money.”
Recently released figures show that the number of foreign Bürgergeld recipients who had never worked in Germany increased from around 621,000 in 2016 to 891,000 in 2024. While the number of German citizens on benefits has fallen sharply in recent years, the number of foreign recipients has risen to almost 1.9 million.
The scheme will be replaced by a new “basic income support” (Grundsicherung) with stricter rules for jobseekers. Those who miss appointments at job centres will face immediate cuts of 30% to their benefits, with payments suspended entirely after repeated absences.
Labour Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) on Thursday, October 9th, said the new system would push more claimants into work. Those who make an effort will receive support; those who don’t will find it difficult, she said.
The reforms come amid growing public unease about Germany’s welfare costs and migration levels.
AfD co-chair Alice Weidel called the rebranding of Bürgergeld “a pure act of window dressing,” claiming that “every second recipient is a foreigner” and renewing her party’s demand to restrict benefits to German nationals.
On immigration, Merz also moved to fulfil a key campaign pledge by scrapping the three-year ‘fast-track’ citizenship option introduced by the previous government. The measure had allowed well-integrated migrants to apply for a German passport after just three years instead of five.
On Wednesday, a total of 450 lawmakers voted to repeal the law—including those from the coalition parties and the AfD—while 134 voted against the measure.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the repeal sent a “clear signal” that the German passport was a reward for successful integration, not an “incentive for illegal migration.”
But the changes are far less dramatic than they appear. As conservative outlet Nius.de noted, the rest of the liberalised citizenship law remains intact—including the five-year path to naturalisation and the general acceptance of dual nationality.
Merz is selling a minimal change as a major migration U-turn, the outlet wrote, pointing out that only around 7% of naturalisations had used the three-year option.
Despite its tough rhetoric, Merz’s government has made little progress on deportations, which continue to lag far behind new naturalisations. Figures from the Federal Statistical Office show that in the first half of 2025, about 148,000 people were granted citizenship, while just 11,807 were deported.
What was billed as a decisive break with is only a modest course correction.
