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German Family Minister Prien signals openness to keeping 14-month parental allowance
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German Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) has signaled openness to reversing planned cuts to parental allowance (Elterngeld), offering hope to families. The proposed reform would reduce the benefit period from 14 to 12 months, with each parent entitled to three months and six months to be divided between partners. Prien told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that after summer debates, she advocates for reassessing whether the cuts are justified and effective. She stated she is open to keeping the 14-month duration and noted that the coalition is still discussing various options, including the division of months between partners. Prien expressed frustration that strict savings targets forced her to propose cuts while the government found money for a fuel discount (Tankrabatt), which she criticized as a short-term measure that wastes funds. The reform had faced significant criticism, and recent electoral losses for CDU and SPD have prompted coalition discussions on course corrections for several policies.
Source report
Bundesfamilienministerin Karin Prien (CDU) is offering hope to families that planned cuts to parental allowance (Elterngeld) months may be reversed. Speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Prien stated she advocates for a reassessment of the proposed austerity measures.
"I am open to that," Prien said when asked whether it was conceivable to maintain the current 14 months of parental allowance instead of cutting it to 12.
The coalition is currently reviewing various options and calculating their implications for the federal budget.
Potential Changes to Partner Allocation
Prien indicated that the distribution of parental allowance months between partners could also change. "We are discussing all the adjustment levers and have not yet settled on any model within the coalition," she said. "We must focus more on the needs of parents. The reduction to twelve months with a different allocation of partnership months is difficult for many families to implement."
Background on the Proposed Reform
Prien drafted a parental allowance reform proposal over the summer under strict savings mandates. The plan includes:
- Reducing the benefit period from 14 to 12 months
- Reserving three months of parental allowance for each parent
- Allowing partners to divide the remaining six months between themselves
Under this model, if only one parent takes parental leave, the maximum state support would be nine months. The proposals have faced significant criticism.
Criticism of Fuel Subsidy
Prien expressed frustration that she was required to announce cuts due to strict savings targets, while funding suddenly became available to lower fuel prices.
"That annoys me very much," Prien said. "The fuel discount is only a temporary measure whose effect quickly dissipates. But it costs a lot of money."
She added that the funds are being distributed with a "watering can" approach, rather than targeted support.
Since the CDU and SPD suffered electoral defeats in several states, coalition members have been discussing course corrections on multiple reform initiatives.
Source
taz.de - taz.deWestern
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German Family Minister Prien Signals Possible Reversal on Parental Allowance Cuts