"When we ask couples what would happen if they had a child now, 80% of men say they would reduce their working hours and that they would want an equal split. In the end, though, things often turn out differently. While many couples say they want to share household responsibilities, women often end up bearing the burden."
"That leads to couples dividing their responsibilities in response to tax rules, not according to any principles of fairness they themselves had agreed on. In her view, this is where policymakers must step in and take action. If the goal really is equality, she argues..."
"One is the fact that men still earn more than women on average. That means women are more likely to take parental leave or shift to part-time work, which incidentally makes them less likely to advance into leadership positions at work."
Despite 80% of German men stating they would reduce working hours and share responsibilities equally if they had children, traditional gender divisions persist in practice. Women disproportionately work part-time and bear household burdens while men remain primary earners, creating a persistent gender pay gap. Sociologist Jutta Allmendinger identifies structural barriers: men's higher average earnings make women more likely to take parental leave or reduce hours, limiting their career advancement. Germany's tax system further reinforces traditional divisions by favoring couples where one partner earns significantly more. Allmendinger argues policymakers must intervene to align tax policies and incentives with equality principles rather than allowing financial structures to dictate family arrangements.
Read at www.dw.com
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