Status: 18.10.2023, 16:00 PM
By: Clara Kistner
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In the discussion about parental allowance, after the controversial considerations of the Greens, a proposal from the FDP came most recently. It reads: 12 months instead of 14 for everyone.
Parental allowance can be applied for by parents together with child benefit immediately after the birth of the child. It is intended to provide financial support to the family in the initial period in the form of a wage replacement benefit until child benefit takes effect after 14 months. Accordingly, according to the Focus.de, the completed forms can be submitted to the family portal of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) before the birth in order to become valid with the subsequently submitted birth certificate. But is 12 instead of 14 months of financial support enough for parents in this particularly care-intensive time?
Restriction of entitlement to parental allowance: Previous considerations of the Greens meet with criticism
While child benefit in Germany is paid regardless of income, the respective parental allowance is calculated on the couple's joint income, writes Focus. Until now, the parents' idea of the Greens to pay out the financial supplements only to couples who have a joint annual income of a maximum of 150,000 euros gross was in the room, reports the WELT.
Is the FDP now hitting the bull's eye with its new idea for the future parental allowance regulation? (Symbolic image) © Panthermedia/Imago
However, the proposal to abolish parental allowance for higher earners was only partially well received. According to the Tagesschau, some critics, including FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr, were concerned about a potential deterioration in equal rights for men and women. "I think it's wrong that we are cutting these funds at this point," he warned.
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"The cuts in parental allowance currently planned by Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus are wrong and at the same time cause uncertainty for many families," said Matthias Seestern-Pauly, family policy spokesman for the FDP.
Counter-proposal of the FDP – shortened parental allowance entitlement for all
Now the FDP has come up with its own ideas regarding a new regulation of parental allowance cuts, which it believes could apply from 1 April 2024. Accordingly, the entitlement to parental allowance should remain for all income groups, but in future only 12 months instead of the current 14 months should be paid. In addition, according to the FDP, the regulation that each parent must receive at least two months of parental allowance in order to receive the total entitlement would no longer apply.
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It remains to be seen whether the alternative variant of the parental allowance regulation will now ensure more approval. At least the hostility to performance, especially towards women, that went hand in hand with the previous idea is not fed here, writes Die Welt. However, the extent to which the actual implementation is possible in the end, especially in view of the continuing shortage of daycare places, is the other question.