According to media reports, the FDP plans to push for tougher sanctions on the Citizen's Income at their upcoming party convention. This approach exacerbates tensions within the coalition with the SPD and Greens. A resolution paper introduced by the FDP proposes increasing sanctions for the refusal of reasonable work without substantial reason from a maximum of currently 30 percent to an immediate reduction by 30 percent. At present, job centers can impose graduated cuts starting at 10 percent for the first obligation violation.

The Citizen's Income, which has replaced the Hartz IV system since January 2023, was introduced with the goal of reduced sanctioning options and a focus on cooperation. The new regulation, which was recently tightened by the Federal Cabinet, now allows the complete withdrawal of the Citizen's Income for a maximum of two months, but only in the event of repeated refusal to take up work. Despite these adjustments, the number of beneficiaries actually affected by sanctions remains low.

The FDP argues that the constitutional leeway for even stricter sanctions should be utilized, including the complete elimination of benefits, which will be put to a vote at the party conference. These demands contrast with the original goals of the citizen's income reform, which intended to move away from punishment and towards support. The discussion about sanctions in the citizen's income remains a central point in the political debate, especially against the backdrop of continuous criticism from the Union regarding the current regulations.