According to the Union, the planned increase to parental allowances sends a critical message to young families. Anne König, the CDU parliamentary group’s spokeswoman for family policy, told the Rheinische Post that the new Elterngeld model strengthens the financial security of young parents, particularly during the first months following a child’s birth. This improvement is achieved through higher wage replacement rates and increased minimum and maximum benefit amounts.
König further noted that the revised structure will also make the parental allowance more attractive for women who are self-employed. She reported that the Union, working alongside Federal Family Minister Karin Prien, successfully campaigned over the past months to retain the benefit duration of 14 months. The fact that a reduction in the eligibility period was avoided, König concluded, is a “vital signal.”
