Family allowance: a poisoned gift

Bavaria wants to pay a family allowance. In its present form, this is both unfair and legally half-baked. The most needy could end up empty.

Family allowance: a poisoned gift

Family support is always good, you might think. Finally, Federal Republic is one of countries with a particularly low birth rate. It is no wonder n that ambitious Bavarian prime Minister Markus Söder from CSU wants to excel on this topic. From first of September this year, re is a new law of Free State, parents of two and three-year-olds who live in Bavaria receive 250 euros, per child and month, for third child even 300 euros are foreseen. There is no income limit or or restrictions, all parents between farm and Berchtesgaden should be happy.

The family allowance is meant to be " early education and education of children, including health-promoting measures," law states. All young people in Bavaria, regardless of wher y were born into family of a Siemens management board, a savings bank director, a band worker at BMW or a single mor who receives benefits under Hartz IV, are to be promoted.

The poorest families, of all people, who are most in need of money, could end up with nothing. The Federal Ministry of Work warns that Bavarian family money, as has now been decided, must be credited to Hartz IV benefits. This means that affected families will have to reckon with deductions in ir previous social assistance.

Hubertus is at top of Ministry of Labour, and he is known to belong to SPD. The Bavarian social Minister Kerstin Schreyer (CSU) vehemently contradicts that a deduction is excluded, which has been clearly clarified before. The SPD does not treat Bavarian families with money, be cold-hearted, scold m.

The Federal Ministry of Health is opposed to this: one would only avoid "unbearable" state, that families would trust more money and would have to pay back later.

This article comes from time No. 34/2018. Here you can read entire output.

What is remarkable about this dispute is not only that re seem to be two parties gegeneinanderstehen, but above all also time from which money is to flow. The Bavarian family allowance is to be paid for first time six weeks before Bavarian Landtag election on 14 October. This makes it completely an election campaign issue.

But what might now come to be usual parties bickering in such times raises fundamental questions beyond that. With all understanding of Bavaria's particular role. More recently, Free State has introduced many expensive things that are not available in or federal states: The Bavarian border police, its own Baukindergeld, its own nursing allowance and a midwife bonus. But political disputes are now mainly about family money, and in its present form it is equally worthy of triple criticism.

Firstly, if CSU, which is part of government coalition in Berlin, actually considers family support to be so important, why did it not insist that families with young children be better promoted nationwide? For example by an even higher child benefit or – even better – by higher Hartz IV rates for children from particularly needy families? Finally, state objective for production of similar living conditions in all regions of Federal Republic is already in Basic Law – and Bavaria is known to be one of wealthiest federal states. By virtues like now planned family money, living conditions in Bavaria would once again be better for families with young children than in much less prosperous regions, for example in Germany's east.

Secondly, families of pertaining, savings Bank director, and even well-paid band worker at BMW, or one, generally have sufficient financial means to promote ir offspring early. For m, family allowance is only a surcharge to already completely adequate income. Why not give all money specifically to those who can use it well? Or in expansion of daycare centers? Already in Kita age, so many scientific studies say, much is decided about later life chances. And it is a fact that children from families who have to spend less money will later have much less chance of advancement.

Thirdly, all Berlin's governing parties, SPD, CSU and CDU, must be accused of having clearly clarified long-planned project of Bavarian CSU government in ir coalition negotiations in Berlin. The fact that re are controversial interpretations was already known to all those involved, in Berlin and Munich.

As it stands, Federal Ministry of Interior and Bavaria will now be arguing in court wher Bavarian family allowance will be deducted from beneficiaries of Welfare fund or not. Thus, without need, anor reason for already rampant policy disenchantment with is delivered.

The family allowance appears as a generous campaign gift from Markus Söder and CSU. In its present form, however, it could be a poisoned one just for most needy.

Date Of Update: 18 August 2018, 12:00