Five years on, Hartz IV social reforms continue to be controversial

Former German Social Democrat chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's social welfare reforms continue to split German society. It's the conservatives who are now applying patches to do away with some of the perceived injustices.

On the 9 February 2010 Germany's Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the country's controversial social benefits known as Hartz IV. Millions of German families on welfare could now receive more assistance.

The ruling may put further pressure on an already taxed budget.

• Primary Source

Deutsche Welle, 9.2.10: The much-hated Hartz IV http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5221558,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 10.2.10: Court rules German welfare law unconstitutional http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5231015,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 9.2.10: German Budget Woes Deepen after Court Orders Welfare Revamp http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,676839,00.html

ESO: Background information: SPD admits naivety in German labour reforms http://www.europeansources.info/record/spd-admits-naivety-in-german-labour-reforms/

ESO: Background information: Hartz IV - Welfare to work in Germany http://www.europeansources.info/record/hartz-iv-welfare-to-work-in-germany/

ESO: Background information: Hartz IV in context: the German way to employability Irene Hartz IV in context: the German way to employability http://www.europeansources.info/record/hartz-iv-in-context-the-german-way-to-employability-irene-hartz-iv-in-context-the-german-way-to-employability/

ESO: Background information: Big Reform with Little Effect? Labour Market and Employment Policy in Germany http://www.europeansources.info/record/big-reform-with-little-effect-labour-market-and-employment-policy-in-germany/

Wikipedia: Hartz concept http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartz_concept

Wikipedia: Agenda 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenda_2010

Deutsche Welle, 14.2.10: Germany's foreign minister triggers new barrage of criticism http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5246745,00.html

Blog: Social Europe Journal: Agenda 2010 - The Key to Germany’s Economic Success (by Gerhard Schroeder), April 2012 http://www.social-europe.eu/2012/04/agenda-2010-the-key-to-germanys-economic-success/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+social-europe%2FwmyH+%28Social+Europe+Journal%29

Frankfurter Rundschau, 16.8.12: Ten years on, the labour market’s “miracle reform” still splits the country (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/2533101-ten-years-labour-market-s-miracle-reform-still-splits-country

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