Politics · Germany · 9 hrs ago
German cabinet agrees draft parental allowance reform
Germany’s cabinet has agreed on a draft reform of parental allowance, the state payment to parents after a child is born.
The plan aims to encourage parents to share leave more evenly: women planned an average of 14.9 months of payments last year, compared with 3.8 months for men.
Under the draft, each parent would get 80% of their previous net pay for their first four months, then 50% for later months.
The minimum payment would rise from €300 to €320, and the maximum from €1,800 to €1,900; parents could also receive payments at the same time without the current limit.
Critics warn that the lower rate after eight months could leave families with less money, and say the increases are too small to make up for inflation.
The draft would also change maternity protections, including making night work easier for pregnant or breastfeeding women and limiting breastfeeding protections to 12 months.
The Bundestag must consider the draft next, and the changes are planned to take effect in November 2027.
Germany’s federal cabinet agreed on a draft reform of parental allowance on November 13, 2026.
The plan would pay 80 percent of pre-birth net earnings in each parent’s first four benefit months, then 50 percent for each further month.
It would raise the minimum monthly payment from 300 to 320 euros and the maximum from 1,800 to 1,900 euros.
The government says the changes are intended to encourage parents to share benefit months more evenly.
Schleswig-Holstein Social Affairs Minister Aminata Touré warned that lower payments after eight months could strain family finances.
The changes are planned for November 2027 and must next be considered by the Bundestag.
- Who
- Germany’s federal cabinet agreed on the draft reform.
- What
- The draft changes parental allowance payments and includes changes to maternity protection.
- When
- The cabinet agreed on it on November 13, 2026; the changes are planned for November 2027.
- Where
- Germany.
- Why
- The government says the reform is intended to help families divide parental allowance months more evenly.
Government
Critics, including Schleswig-Holstein Social Affairs Minister Aminata Touré
Purpose and effect
Government
The government says the reform will make parental allowance more equal between parents, more attractive and simpler.
Critics, including Schleswig-Holstein Social Affairs Minister Aminata Touré
Touré said the changes would not be a real improvement for parents.
Payment levels
Government
The plan would increase the minimum and maximum payments and pay 80 percent of net earnings in each parent’s first four benefit months.
Critics, including Schleswig-Holstein Social Affairs Minister Aminata Touré
Touré warned that payments falling to 50 percent after eight months could create a major shortfall in family finances and said the increases did not cover inflation since the allowance was introduced.
Germany’s federal cabinet agreed on the draft parental allowance reform.
The Bundestag must consider the reform.
The planned changes are due to take effect.
- Basis parental allowance
- 14 months if each parent takes at least four months
- First four benefit months
- 80 percent of pre-birth net earnings for each parent
- Further benefit months
- 50 percent of pre-birth net earnings
- Minimum monthly payment
- Increase from 300 to 320 euros
- Maximum monthly payment
- Increase from 1,800 to 1,900 euros
- Planned changes
- November 2027
2 sources
What people are saying
The new parental allowance is intended to become more equal between parents, more attractive and simpler through the reform.
The reduction of parental allowance after eight months to just 50 percent of the last net income will leave a deep hole in the family budget.