The taboos that long paralyzed population and family policies in Germany are disappearing, but it could already be too late to prevent steep demographic decline. The government is looking for ways to cope with an aging population and better integrate the country's seven million immigrants.
Family Policy
The fact that the Nazis pushed German mothers to have as many children as possible during the 1930s and 1940s has cast a shadow over postwar governments willingness to tackle population issues. Even though the birthrate has been clearly sinking since the early 1970s, politicians have been reluctant to intervene for fear of being branded as far-right.
But after over thirty years of neglect, German politicians can no longer ignore population issues. To soften what is likely to be a bumpy demographic decent from the "baby boom" heights of the 1960s, the quickest solution would be to start having more kids - fast. But with more women in the workforce than forty years ago, fewer are willing to sacrifice their careers to start families.
Since 2005, government has tried enable young women to have both - a career and kids. The centerpiece of this new family policy is Elterngeld ("parent money"), a concept taken from successful Scandinavian family policies begun in the 1970s. The German government now pays one parent per household two thirds of their net wage (up to 1,800 euros) while they take up to a year off to care for their baby. Elterngeld is extended by another two months if another parent - usually the father - also wants to stay home.
The German family ministry has also pledged to invest 1.8 billion euros to triple the number of daycare places in Germany by 2013, and give parents a legal right to a daycare place for all children under three years old. Nurseries will also stay open later into the afternoon, whereas they traditionally closed around lunchtime.
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