Even a quick surf through social networks can give the impression that the vast majority of citizens' money goes to non-Germans. Some claims even go so far as to say that only a tiny proportion of Germans benefit from this social benefit.
It's this picture that keeps making the rounds on social media:
Is it really like that? Let’s look behind the headlines and dive deep into the numbers.
The creation of the myth
The confusion over the exact distribution began when an article in the “Bild” newspaper published some interesting statistics. Due to misinterpretations and rapid spread on social media, the message was completely distorted.
A user wrote on Facebook that, according to the “Bild” newspaper, “only 5.3 percent of citizens’ benefit recipients are German.” That's wrong. According to the Federal Employment Agency, 52.8 percent of recipients are German.
What the numbers really say
Let's examine some of the claims that are circulating:
| Claims | Fact check |
|---|---|
| Only 5.3% of citizens' benefit recipients are German | Incorrect. 52.8% are German citizens. |
| 65.6% of Ukrainians in Germany receive citizen's benefit | True, but many of them are war-related refugees and are only at the beginning of their integration into the labor market. |
| 55.1% of Syrians in Germany receive citizen's benefit | Actually. |
The article in the “Bild” newspaper itself stated that of all people with German citizenship, 5.3% receive citizen’s benefit. However, this should not be confused with the total number of recipients, of which 52.8% are German.
The real story behind the numbers
The reason for the high proportion of Ukrainian recipients is tragic. Many of them fled the war and are only just beginning to integrate into the labor market in Germany. Not all non-Germans who receive citizen benefit are refugees. Some were born and grew up here, others immigrated for economic reasons.
The role of the Federal Employment Agency
The German Press Agency contacted the Federal Employment Agency (BA) with these figures. The BA confirmed that 52.8% of citizens' benefit recipients are German citizens. This clear statement from the official side should clear up many doubts.
Why such myths arise
Misinformation spreads easily in this day and age. A misinterpreted article or inaccurate statistics can quickly lead to misunderstandings. That's why it's even more important to look at the facts and get information from trustworthy sources.
Conclusion: The breakdown clearly shows that more than half of the citizens' benefit recipients are actually German citizens. Separating fact from fiction is crucial, especially when it comes to issues as important as social benefits. The BA has made it clear what the distribution of citizens' money actually looks like, and it is up to us to spread the truth and debunk myths.
Source: DPA
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )