Fact check
No more cash? No, black and red wants to “preserve”
Again and again the claim arises that Germany wants to abolish the cash. Again and again it turns out to be a baseless doom scenario – currently after the coalition agreement has been published.
The Germans swear by their cash: According to a Bundesbank survey published in the summer of 2024, a total of 51 percent of the number processes in Germany were handled in 2023. Even if the proportion of payments decreases, the outcry is still great when supposed plans for the future of physical appearances and coins are circulating on social networks.
Right -wing populists in particular repeatedly spread claims regarding an allegedly threatening cash abolition. Their goal is to stir up fear of state surveillance through digital payments in the population. Current reason for the false claims is the publication of the coalition agreement.
The future government alliance Schwarz-Rot wants to oblige citizens to pursue purely digital payments and abolish the cash.
With a detailed coalition agreement, the designated government alliance from CDU, CSU and SPD wants to get Germany going again. Abolition of cash is not one of the plans.
“There is no planning for a ban on cash in Germany,” confirms the CDU press office at the request of the German Press Agency (dpa) and refers to the coalition agreement. This contains “a clear commitment to receiving cash as a form of payment,” explains a CDU spokeswoman.
Coalition agreement: Cash as a “form of payment we receive”
In it, black and red on the subject of: “We receive the cash as a common form of payment,” says “2.1. Household, finance and taxes”. The alliance explains one sentence before that “everyone can continue to decide how to pay for everyday life”.
It is to be made possible that in the future, even in small shops without cash can be paid. “Gradually” should be offered at least one digital payment option everywhere, according to the coalition agreement.
Cash: new banknotes come, not extinguishing
The European Union (EU) is still standing for cash in Europe. It was not until the end of January 2025 that the European Central Bank (ECB) met a pre-selection of motifs that are supposed to adorn the planned new euro banknotes. The communication says: “We are working on new banknotes because we are relying on cash today and in the future.”
In Article 128 of the Treaty, cash is also discussed on the working method of the EU and is therefore anchored at the constitutional level. That means: No member state can decide to abolish cash. In addition, the legal literature states that the existence of euro banknotes in the EU is guaranteed and that its complete abolition against Union law is offset, writes the scientific service of the Bundestag.
Bundesbank study on payment behavior 2024 ECB on future euro banknotes Article 128 in the contract for the working method of the European Union of the Bundestag on the national “right to cash”
dpa
Source: Stern
