Federal Family Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) has announced paid leave for parents immediately after the birth of a child.
(Photo: dpa)
The fact that Federal Family Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) announces paid leave for parents immediately after the birth of a child comes as no surprise. All three traffic light parties had propagated such models during the election campaign. The SPD called it parental leave, the Greens 14-day “leave of absence”, and the FDP spoke of “partner protection” analogous to “maternity leave”.
There is little to criticize about the idea. Those who want equality also have to look at the rights of their partners, mostly fathers. What makes people sit up and take notice is the minister’s initiative to give children “recognition” for their solidarity in the pandemic, for example in the form of a “zoo voucher”. Also a nice idea, especially parents may think.
But hadn’t Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) brought vouchers into play? Correct, those were the “everyday helper vouchers” with which families with children, single parents and people who look after relatives should receive an annual bonus of a maximum of 2000 euros for help in the household.
And the FDP will certainly want to implement its election campaign promise with a view to schools and daycare centers: education vouchers that grant a grant for each child and a “German Dream” grant for children with a low socio-economic status.
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Every single measure sounds sensible and appropriate in and of itself. But should every situation in life really be regulated with a state voucher? Much should follow the watering can principle, some even fall into the nanny state division, in order to achieve “correct” behavior among the citizens.
Financial support for families is too confusing
At the same time, with vouchers, bonuses and the like, there is a risk that the families will ultimately no longer see what benefits they are entitled to and which offers they can take advantage of.
This is illustrated by the parental allowance, which compensates for a lack of income when parents look after their child after the birth. In and of itself, it is probably the most popular family policy achievement. But here too, with the partnership bonus, parental allowance plus and different terms, the system is becoming more and more complex.
At least the traffic light coalition has recognized that the financial support of families already consists of a confusing patchwork of around 150 individual services, which can often only be applied for in a complicated and bureaucratic manner and from different government agencies: The coalition agreement promises a bundling of benefits and uncomplicated payment . One or the other voucher idea should be checked again in this light.
More: Traffic light wants to reform child benefit: who then has a plus in the wallet.