"Anyone who works does not have to be stupid" "DiePresse.com

This topic is likely to create tension within the turquoise blue coalition: the reform of emergency aid to the long-term unemployed. This is a kind of permanent unemployment allowance. If there is no entitlement to unemployment benefits, these will only be approved for one year. But it can be extended almost indefinitely. In the government program, the abolition of emergency aid was announced: the long-term unemployed would automatically set themselves the minimum income and would be forced to use their badets from 5 200 euros. The FPÖ has repeatedly promised to receive emergency badistance, the ÖVP has insisted on the abolition.

However, the ÖVP obviously goes in the opposite direction of the coalition partner: access to property will only apply to people who have not paid for a long time. "Someone who has paid more should touch more, not touch the minimum income and be affected by access to badets," said Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday night in the "ZIB 2". But if a person is young, has been working for only one or two years, has a property, house, savings or inheritance, "and does not want to work, of course you have to access his fortune," says Kurz.

Emergency badistance in its current form is removed

Earlier, Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache (FPÖ) said that people with a long insurance period would continue to receive emergency badistance indefinitely. This would certainly apply to people who have worked for 15 years, says Strache. According to Federal Chancellor Kurz, however, emergency badistance will not be maintained but will be reintegrated into the "unemployment benefits" model. This is also provided for in the government program – a gradual reduction of unemployment benefits is planned. The reform will be on the table by the end of 2019 at the latest, according to Kurz.

Regarding the minimum income, which was presented Wednesday, Kurz said: If you work, you should not be "the stupid one". "It's a poison for a society, if it has less." For example, he has brought a salesman who works full time and earns 1600 net euros, his wife is at home, the family has three children. Including all services, their monthly income would be 2500 euros net. In the old model, a family of three living with the minimum income amounted to 2600 euros. The new minimum income security provides for a gradual reduction in the wages of large families. "I think it's just that people who go to work have more than people who do not work," Kurz says.

>>> ZiB2

(Red.)