The leader of DéFI has stated that the federal government must delay its reform set for January unless new financial compensation is provided to public welfare centres (CPAS) to support the unemployed losing their benefits.
Sophie Rohonyi made her comments on Sunday via the social media platform X, as uncertainty persists over the federal government’s ability to agree on a budget for the coming year. Current delays have forced the government to consider temporary funding measures, known as “provisional twelfths.”
Under this regime, the government would allocate monthly funding equivalent to one-twelfth of the 2024 budget for each month in 2026, without introducing any new budgetary measures.
This situation means the planned €300 million compensation promised last summer to CPAS centres will likely not materialise. These funds were intended to offset costs linked to assisting a wave of unemployed individuals who will lose their benefits starting January.
Changing course would require a parliamentary vote in the coming weeks, an outcome that remains uncertain.
Rohonyi warned that without financial backing for the CPAS, the reform would lead to chaos. Speaking on X, she said: “If provisional twelfths are implemented, unemployment exclusions will happen as scheduled in January, but the CPAS will receive no compensation, despite this being a sine qua non condition. Without that, chaos will follow. Either the federal government finds a solution, or it must postpone its reform.”
