Elterngeld – How Agenda-Setting and New Stakeholder Coalitions Facilitated a Paradigm Shift in German Family Policies

reformkompassWith the introduction of a parental leave benefit [Elterngeld], Germany’s family policy underwent a far-reaching paradigm shift under Minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU).

This project was, however, designed under entirely different party political presentiments. The project was not initiated by von der Leyen but by her SPD predecessor, Renate Schmidt. She found sympathisers for the policy in the SPD, amongst the female politicians of the European Union and in the economy. In contrast, detractors came from large parts of the EU, the Catholic Church and finance ministers. When von der Leyen took office as Federal Minister for Family Affairs after the 2005 Bundestag elections, she was aware of the predominant opposition to the parental leave benefit in her party.

In contrast, detractors came from large parts of the EU, the Catholic Church and finance ministers. When von der Leyen took office as Federal Minister for Family Affairs after the 2005 Bundestag elections, she was aware of the predominant opposition to the parental leave benefit in her party. Using the ReformCompass methodology, this case study details how von der Leyen and Schmidt succeeded in introducing the parental leave benefit.

You will find this and many other Case-Studies on regierungsforschung.de and on www.reformkompass.de.

Suggested Citation

Bujard, Martin (2014): Elterngeld – How Agenda-Setting and New Stakeholder Coalitions Facilitated a Paradigm Shift in German Family Policies. Published in: Regierungsforschung.de, Cases. Available online: https://regierungsforschung.de/elterngeld-how-agenda-setting-and-new-stakeholder-coalitions-facilitated-a-paradigm-shift-in-german-family-policies/

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