Majority of Germans Oppose Social Assistance for Ukrainian Refugees: Public Opinion and Policy Developments
According to the latest survey conducted by INSA on behalf of the BILD publication, the majority of German citizens have expressed a negative attitude towards the social support system for Ukrainian refugees.
Specifically, over 66% oppose unemployment benefits (known as Bürgergeld) for Ukrainian war refugees, believing that men of conscription age who fled the war should return home.
Only 17% of respondents support Ukrainians’ right to receive such aid.
While the German government annually spends approximately 6.3 billion euros on this program for around 700,000 Ukrainian refugees, only a minority are actively integrated into the labor market, with most remaining outside the traditional employment environment, particularly those who arrived in 2022.
Citizens are even more adamant about the return of these men of military age.
According to the survey, 62% think that those who fled during the conflict should go back to Ukraine.
Conversely, only 18% oppose this idea, 8% are indifferent, and 12% did not respond.
Sociologists highlight that these results show a clear societal demand for policy changes regarding refugee aid.
The German Ministry of Labor is already preparing reforms, with the 2026 budget proposal planning to cut Bürgergeld expenditures by 1.5 billion euros, primarily by limiting payments to Ukrainian refugees, removing their entitlement to full benefits related to employment and housing support.
This initiative has sparked active debate across EU political circles about the prospects of returning Ukrainians home after the war.
The Bundestag has scheduled its first hearings on the reform before Christmas, and the transition could take effect as early as next year.
Recent data also indicates a significant increase in asylum requests from Ukraine, especially among young men, following Ukraine’s lifting of the exit ban for males aged 18 to 22, contributing to a rise in migration flows.