AfD Seeks Data on First Names of Citizens Receiving Basic Income

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has initiated a request to the federal government for information regarding the first names of individuals receiving the Bürgergeld, a form of basic income. This inquiry follows a series of recent events, including discussions around public safety and crime, which have brought attention to the demographics of social welfare recipients.

According to reports, the AfD submitted a formal request to the Federal Chancellery before the weekend, asking the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to provide details on the most common first names among Bürgergeld recipients. The inquiry specifically seeks to identify the 14 most prevalent first names as of December 31, 2024, along with the number of individuals associated with each name.

The request is attributed to Raimond Scheirich, an AfD member of the Bundestag, who has expressed concerns regarding the ethnic backgrounds of social welfare recipients. As of October 2024, over 2.5 million of the approximately four million eligible citizens receiving benefits under the Bürgergeld scheme reportedly had a migration background. At the beginning of 2025, nearly 1.9 million employed and over 700,000 unemployed foreigners were receiving Bürgergeld in Germany.

This inquiry comes in the wake of other related requests, including attempts to ascertain the first names of suspects involved in violent incidents, which the party argues are indicative of broader societal issues. Previously, the Berlin government received a query about the names of individuals suspected of knife-related crimes, which was initially rejected due to concerns over the potential for identifying individuals.

As part of its ongoing campaign, the AfD has consistently targeted social programs, alleging misuse and inefficiencies within the system. Recent statements from various party members have emphasized a narrative suggesting that benefits are disproportionately accessed by individuals from specific backgrounds, a claim that has been met with considerable debate.

The Ministry of Labor, led by Bärbel Bas from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), is expected to respond to the AfD's request by June 26, 2025, or provide an alternative date for the response. This situation underscores the continuing tension in German politics surrounding immigration, social welfare, and public safety, as various parties navigate their positions in a complex political landscape.