Expectant mums in Germany are looking forward to a financially more secure future as the country introduces subsidies for children that are worth thousands of euros. The legislation kicked in at the start of 2007, with the aim of boosting the country’s falling birth rate. Instead of the old fixed-sum system, child benefit is now linked to a mother’s earnings. For the first year mothers will receive 67% of their take home salary, with a minimum of 300, and a maximum of 1800 euros per month.
“I think the regulation is basically good,” said one midwife. “Naturally we hope that we’ll get a lot of babies, that the parents decide to have a second, or another child. The picture for each individual is very varied though.” The subsidy has been criticised for offering more money and incentive to wealthy parents than those who are unemployed or on low wages. But nobody disputes the need for action. Today a third of German women do not have children, and some estimates warn the population could drop from 82 million to under 50 million by mid-century.