Overview
- The CDU’s Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion is submitting a motion for the party conference on February 20–21 calling for a comprehensive debt‑collection and recovery plan at the Federal Employment Agency and jobcenters.
- Government figures show €6.3 billion in outstanding claims as of September 2025, including €4.4 billion tied to Bürgergeld and €1.9 billion from unemployment and related benefits.
- More than 43% of the debts are older than five years, recovery on long‑standing claims is under 1%, and about €957 million expired or were written off in 2024.
- For January through September 2025, reported shortfalls totaled €3.3 billion from overpaid Bürgergeld and €1.3 billion from unemployment benefit recipients.
- The cabinet has acknowledged shortcomings at the Federal Employment Agency under Andrea Nahles, and the MIT seeks tighter legal rules and incentives, with no federal policy change enacted to date.