Aiwanger warns against too much social and 'nanny' state - German politician proposes radical welfare overhaul to boost employment
Freedom to heat, work, and move—without government interference? Aiwanger renews push against overregulation, demands €2,000 tax-free for all workers
Free Voters' Union leader Hubert Aiwanger used his party's Ash Wednesday event to position the Free Voters as the ultimate champions of personal freedom. "I want to decide for myself whether I heat my home with wood, gas, or a heat pump. I want to decide for myself how I get around and live in this country. We don't need more and more government meddling in our lives," he declared in Deggendorf. "We don't stand for a nanny state that dictates every little thing we're supposed to do."
Beyond that, Aiwanger took the stage to settle scores—primarily with policymakers in Berlin and Brussels. Once again, he launched into criticism of Germany's Bürgergeld (citizen's benefit) system. "We do not support a system where hundreds of thousands of people in this country don't even have to get out of bed in the morning to go to work, even though jobs are available," he said. "Frankly, I'd rather have someone working part-time than someone doing nothing at all."
Aiwanger slams "bloated" welfare state, calls for stricter work incentives
He also revived his long-standing demand for a €2,000 monthly tax-free allowance for all workers. "We need to reward hard work and turn off the tap for those who choose idleness when they could be contributing. That's how we'll make this country healthy again," he argued, diagnosing Germany as suffering from an "overblown welfare state drowning in bureaucracy."
"Every single morning, politicians should be thanking those who get up, go to work, and pay taxes—and we should be making it very clear to those who could work but won't that they either need to start earning a living or accept that they won't get any more money."
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