Sigmar Gabriel has actually given up his political career. Nevertheless, the former SPD chairman continues to speak out on political issues – such as the work ethic of the younger generation.
In times of tight public finances and empty budget coffers, a debate about transfer payments is flaring up again. The trigger is a recent article in “Spiegel” which describes the citizen’s allowance as a “wrong path”.
The former head of the Federal Employment Agency, Frank-Jürgen Weise, also has his say in the text. He sees the problem in the younger generation’s lack of enthusiasm for work. “In Germany, there are 260,000 young people between the ages of 25 and 45 who have not worked for a long time, although they meet all the criteria for employment,” the news magazine quotes him as saying. According to Weise, this is “unacceptable on this scale.” The tenor of the article is that the citizen’s allowance has an acceptance problem.
Sigmar Gabriel speaks out on X
The hope that this could lead to an objective debate was short-lived. On Saturday evening, Sigmar Gabriel spoke out on X. The former SPD chairman and economics and foreign minister wrote: “‘Hundreds of thousands are young, healthy and collect citizens’ allowances,’ complains the former head of the employment agency. I fear he is right. And those who are wealthy take a ‘sabbatical’ after school at the expense of mom and dad, and then a four-day week.”
In a second tweet, he clarified his statement immediately afterwards: “At the top and at the bottom: fewer and fewer people want to achieve anything. It’s just harder to criticize those at the top.” In doing so, he made it clear – in true social democrat fashion – that he did not want to target people at the bottom of society with his statement.
Nevertheless, Gabriel’s sweeping statements were met with opposition: “Gabriel’s statement reveals a twisted way of thinking,” said FDP social expert Pascal Kober to Bild.de. If someone works, pays taxes and uses the money left over to finance a sabbatical for their children, “that is entirely their private matter.” The CDU also criticized: “Our young people are not lazy – we simply don’t demand anything more of them,” said CDU labor market expert Kai Whittaker to Bild.de.
Strong contradiction
Gabriel’s statements also did not go unnoticed on X: “Unlike the citizen’s allowance, it is mom and dad who pay, not the taxpayer,” writes one user. Another user’s criticism goes in the same direction: “At the expense of mom and dad is perfectly fine. At the expense of the welfare state, not.”
Even though the tweet is being discussed controversially on social media, Sigmar Gabriel’s comments have so far had no impact on the debate about the citizen’s allowance. According to the “Spiegel” report, the discussion is much more complex than the former SPD chairman’s criticism of generations suggests.
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Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
