The term "Konigstein schlussel" (Konigstein key) got brought up this week. I had to read up on it a bit.
The news folks dragged the term out....to explain how refugees get pushed out to various states (the sixteen German states). The Konigstein key is utilized in this method.
So, in 1949....when they were writing up the Basic Law (the German Constitution).....they needed a way to split funding among the states. So, they invented this simplified division method. Each state would count up it's tax revenues and population. The tax revenue counts for two-thirds of the score....while the population counts for one-third. Then you come to a percentage.
Using this method....Hessen only gets seven percent of the funding from the state....while North Rhine Westphalia gets twenty-one percent of the national funding. Bavaria? It gets fifteen percent of the percentage of the national funding.
The Konigstein key is used for distribution of refugees as well. Naturally, the NRW folks are complaining of a unfair situation. At the bottom of the 'pit'....is the Saarland, if you were curious.....with one-percent.
How would this relate to housing or job potential? Well, it doesn't relate. If you were among the one-percent of refugees sent to Saarland.....it might take you a month or two to realize that while language training is ahead, along with job-training.....if job prospects in Saarland look lousy now.....what good will your situation be in twelve months when you finally start looking for a job?
Discussion over changing the Konigstein key? One might assume that....but how one would reach a new agreement, with all sixteen states in some form of agreement?
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