The CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia is calling for strong action to curb social benefit abuse by criminal groups. According to a report by Bild am Sonntag, the regional party association has submitted a proposal for the upcoming federal party convention in Stuttgart in February, demanding far-reaching steps to prevent misuse of EU freedom of movement. The proposal also includes changes to child benefit payments sent abroad.
“Child benefit fraud has unfortunately become a growing tactic of criminal gangs,” said Carsten Linnemann, speaking to Bild am Sonntag (BamS). He argued that it is “only consistent” to adjust child benefit payments to the cost of living in the country where they are received, “for example in Romania or Bulgaria.” According to him, current payments are “completely disproportionate” given the lower cost of living in those countries.
The party also intends to act against exploitation involving so-called substandard or dilapidated housing. The proposal suggests that police and fire services should be able to report uninhabitable conditions directly to job centers so that payments can be halted, ensuring that “criminal networks no longer profit from the compulsory forwarding of social benefits.”
To support investigations, the CDU is calling for a centralized fraud registry linking population registers, family benefits offices and social welfare agencies. Individuals caught committing fraud should face tougher consequences, including “easier deportation of EU citizens and the possibility of re-entry bans,” Bild am Sonntag reported.
“Social benefit fraud undermines trust in our democracy and in the ability of the state to act,” said Paul Ziemiak, adding that such abuse “must be met with the full force of the rule of law.”
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