CSU demands: Ukrainian men should serve or work, not receive Bürgergeld

An active political discussion has flared up in Germany about social support for Ukrainian refugees. The Christian Social Union (CSU) has proposed to stop paying Bürgergeld to Ukrainian men of military age. Bundestag member and foreign policy expert Stefan Mayer voiced this initiative.

He noted that Bürgergeld payments for men aged 18 to 63 should be abolished, believing that if about 151 thousand Ukrainians receive social assistance in Germany, then the system needs to be revised. According to him, these men should either work or serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to the Federal Labor Agency, as of March 2025, there were 150,660 non-disabled male citizens of Ukraine in Germany who received Bürgergeld, with an average monthly payment of 882 euros, which in annual terms exceeds 1.3 billion euros of budget expenditures.

At the same time, German and Polish law enforcement officers note that Ukrainian men resort to the “driving license trick”, leaving the country with fake documents that supposedly allow them to avoid mobilization.

In response to the publication’s request, the Embassy of Ukraine in Germany emphasized that it is impossible to generally accuse all Ukrainian men abroad of violating the law. They noted that numerous men are in Germany legally and are registered in the military register. The embassy also called on Ukrainians to update their data.

Discussions on limiting social benefits for Ukrainians are taking place against the backdrop of intensified political debates in Germany regarding migration policy, the costs of supporting refugees, and the fairness of the social security system. As of today, about 138 thousand Ukrainians are forced to live in temporary shelters or dormitories.