Berlin
Many pregnant Germans tried to stave off labor in the waning days of December so they’d give birth in 2007, when “parents’ money” kicked in. Parents of babies born in Germany this year will get generous new subsidies, part of a government effort to boost the falling birth rate. Doctors across the country said women postponed C-sections and avoided activities thought to induce labor, such as having sex or drinking red wine. Germany’s baby bonus is Europe’s most generous: Parents can claim up to $2,375 a month for a year if one of them stays home with an infant. France offers $990 a month for a year of leave, but only starting with the third child.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Political cartoons for February 1Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include Tom Homan's offer, the Fox News filter, and more
-
Will SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic make 2026 the year of mega tech listings?In Depth SpaceX float may come as soon as this year, and would be the largest IPO in history
-
Reforming the House of LordsThe Explainer Keir Starmer’s government regards reform of the House of Lords as ‘long overdue and essential’
