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SPD youth leader Philip Turmer cemented the party’s resistance, asserting that if reform efforts merely aim to cut benefits, the SPD would oppose such moves. Yet, even the SPD's traditional backing of social welfare is strained, underscoring the seriousness of the fiscal crisis.
Drastic Cuts on the Horizon
Starting this fall, the German government plans to implement drastic cuts across multiple social programs:
Reductions in pensions, healthcare, and long-term care benefits
Downgrading the citizens income—the safety net for low-income and unemployed Germans—to basic security with significant cuts to housing and heating support
Cutting €40 billion in benefits spent in 2024, with further reductions anticipated in 2025