Overview
- A referentenentwurf from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs has been sent into inter‑ministerial (Ressort-) consultation proposing a cap of 12 months of basic Elterngeld and a 3+6+3 allocation that reserves three months for each parent and leaves six months flexible.
- The draft would slightly raise the monthly floor from €300 to €330 and the ceiling from €1,800 to €1,900, keep Elterngeld Plus and the post‑2025 income exclusion above €175,000, and simplify some calculation rules.
- The ministry frames the change as part of mandatory savings targets tied to its budget with projected near‑term savings around €500 million and up to €1.6 billion by 2030 if fully implemented.
- The plan has drawn sharp criticism from SPD MPs, the Deutscher Frauenrat, unions and other family groups who say the shorter duration will hit low‑ and middle‑income families and that savings should instead target high incomes.
- The draft remains in Ressortabstimmung and could change in internal government talks or in parliament; the ministry says current rules apply to births before 1 November 2027.