Germany: What future is for the family?

New figures showed yesterday that Germany has the highest percentage of childless women in the world. 30% of German women have not had children, and this figure rises to 40% among female graduates. Germany’s Family Minister, Ursula von der Leycn, said that if the birth rate does not go up, Germany will die.

Germany’s birth rate is one of the lowest in Europe, with an average of 1.37 children per woman, compared with 1.75 in Sweden and 1.74 in the UK. German mothers are also the oldest, with an average age of thirty when they have their first child - and most parents choose to have only one child.

According to Professor Norbert Schneider of Mainz University, the reasons for Germany’s low birth rate include poor childcare, a school day that ends at 1 p.m., and old-fashioned attitudes among employers. In addition, many German women are already in their mid-thirties when they finish university and get a good job.

Ms von der Leycn, a mother of seven, says that another difficulty is that some women cannot find a suitable man. ‘Uncertain’ men (who are unsure about becoming fathers) are also responsible for the low birth rate, she claims.

The minister has developed a plan to encourage people to have more children.

First of all, if parents need private childcare, they will get help from the government, by paying less tax.

Secondly, families will get up to 1,800 euros a month from the government if men stay at home for two months after the birth of a new child.

But some men, even in the minister’s own political party, are unhappy with this last idea. Professor Schneider says that in Germany it is acceptable for women to take time off to have children. However, if a man takes time off work to look after a new child, his career will be over. The typical family picture is very much alive in Germany, he said. Women look after tire children while men go out to work.

5. Read the text again. Are these sentences true or false? Correct any false sentences.

1. Only 40% of German female graduates have had children.

2. German women have an average of 1.37 children.

3. Few parents have more than one child.

4. A university professor believes that German employers do not have modern attitudes.

5. The government wi 11 pay each parent 1,800 euros a month so the father can take time off work.

6. Ms von der Leyen's ideas are not popular with everyone.

6. What do you think of Ms von der Leyen's plan?

LESSON 2

SPEAKING

1. Are these statements true about your country?

1. More people are now making friends over the Internet.

2. People are living longer than before.

3. People are having more holidays abroad.

4. People are using robots in their homes.

READING

2. Read the advert. Who uses the institute and its services? Why?

1 politicians 2 business people 3 academics

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