$33,000 to breed in Germany

[jgraz]

Just what the industrialized world needs: more resource-hungry children. Can't economists come up with any solution to an aging population that doesn't involve squirting out more babies?

Best Christmas Gift for Germany: More Children?

Germany's family affairs minister has said she's confident a new government-funded parents' support program will result in Germans having more children and help reverse the steep decline in the nation's birth rate.

The new parental benefit package, which goes into effect with the new year, is aimed at making it easier especially for middle-income, professional women to have children. Many well-educated women find it difficult in Germany to balance work and family, and many are choosing to climb the career ladder instead of changing diapers.

Speaking to the dpa news agency, Family Affairs Minister Ursula von der Leyen, said Germany has one of the world's longest and sharpest decline in the birth rate. The fall in the number of children born could have serious consequences for the nation's health and pension systems as well as its economy. Analysts predict that Germany's current population of 82 million could drop to 50 million by 2050.

"I would be extremely pleased, if (the parental benefit) succeeded in stopping this dramatic decrease," she said.

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How it works

Under the new child benefit plan which goes into effect on Jan. 1, parents -- either the mother or father -- would be entitled to 67 per cent of their previous income, up to a maximum of 1,800 euros a month ($2,363) while staying at home for up to 14 months. (2,363 x 14 = $33,082)

Von der Leyen, who has seven children (!!!!111), said the new parental benefit represented the "first, but, key component" in helping Germany to address the aging of its population.

But she conceded that it will take some time "before people have the confidence to bring more children into the world again."

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2289881,00.html