How many children a woman gets in Germany varies considerably depending on region. Women from years 1969 to 1972 in Passau, Kiel, Gera, Würzburg as well as in Munich, Düsseldorf and Cologne were few children born in Germany – on average only 1.0 to 1.2 children. This emerges from a study by Federal Institute for Population Research (bib).

The average birth rate for whole of Germany is 1.59 children per woman. (it indicates how many children a woman would receive in course of her life, if she behaves same as all women between ages of 15 and 49.) According to Federal Statistical Office, births had risen by seven percent in 2016 compared to previous year. The birth rate is at its highest level since 1973. As reasons for rising birth rate, experts see right to crèche and daycare places, all-day schools and parental allowances. But where do regional differences come from?

City-Country Gradient

Research director Martin Bujard justifies comparatively low number of children in some cities, among or things, by fact that re are too few affordable flats, often only poor childcare facilities and partly child-hostile residential quarters. Without comparatively high number of children of migrant women, birth rate in cities where many of m live would be much lower, says Bujard.

According to Bujard, however, city/country factor is central to different birth rates: top of number of children per woman are counties of Cloppenburg, Günzburg, Mühldorf am Inn and Vechta, Freudenstadt and Eichstätt. However, figure is also higher in regions where unemployment is low, which are predominantly Catholic and which have a surplus of men.

Despite rise in births, Germany is still just below average of 1.6 children per woman in comparison to European countries. The highest figure was reached last year in France, least children per woman were born in Spain and Italy.

Rental price brake and housing

Politicians demanded that state should better support families. The family policy spokeswoman of left in Bundestag, Katrin Werner, said: "A desire for children must not fail in purse." It is necessary to have an effective rental price brake and investment in housing. The Greens ' deputy group chair, Katja Dörner, also calls for a functioning rental price brake. She also advocates a basic child protection.

The FDP MEP Grigorios Aggelidis said that in order to make construction of new flats more attractive, some nonsensical conditions and bureaucratic hurdles should be examined. From his point of view, however, current rental price brake should not be aggravated, but should be abolished because of ineffectiveness. It is rar a "housing brake" because it prevents much-needed investment in more housing.

Date Of Update: 03 April 2018, 12:02