Researchers protested after the German Federal Statistical Office removed the previously used MZ-Kern method from its website, which had shown a higher poverty rate of 16.6% in 2023, and replaced it with lower figures of 15.5%, reducing the official poverty count by over one million people.

The MZ-Kern method indicated a 2023 poverty rate of 15.5%, but the new method suggests 16.6%, leading to a significant discrepancy and a reduction in reported poverty figures.

The Federal Statistical Office recently changed its approach, now relying solely on the EU-/MZ-SILC method for calculating poverty rates, citing better comparability and income measurement, and has discontinued using both the MZ-Kern and EU-/MZ-SILC methods together.

The government justified this change by emphasizing EU-wide comparability and the use of supposedly more reliable income data.

A group of 30 poverty researchers criticized the change, suspecting it aims to artificially lower the reported poverty rate in Germany.

The researchers highlighted that the MZ-Kern method provides more detailed data, including socio-demographic and regional breakdowns, which are crucial for comprehensive analysis.

Signatories of the protest include prominent social scientists such as Christoph Butterwegge and Klaus Dörre, who argue that the change undermines scientific freedom.

The scientists contend that this decision compromises transparency and scientific independence, demanding the government revert to the previous calculation method.

They also pointed out that the Federal Statistical Office has retrospectively removed the previous data derived from the MZ-Kern method from its website.

The researchers advocate for maintaining the previous transparent publication practices and continuing to use the MZ-Kern method due to its higher data granularity and demographic insights.

The protest is supported by notable social scientists who emphasize that the change constitutes unacceptable interference with scientific freedom.