AfD on families

The AfD wants to raise the birth rate by putting traditional family support at the center of policy. Parents would be reimbursed 20,000 euros in pension contributions per child from tax funds, alongside family-based tax splitting, lower levies and help with buying a home. The party rejects the Kindergrundsicherung (basic child allowance).

The AfD wants more children to be born. Parents should get back 20,000 euros in pension payments for each child. Families should pay less in taxes and fees. The AfD does not want a basic child allowance.

The party commits to the traditional family as its guiding model, without, in its own words, excluding other arrangements, and is critical of the state's growing role in child-rearing. It does not see immigration as a suitable answer to low birth numbers. Parents would be treated better in the pension system because child-rearing leaves them with lower entitlements than childless people. The goal is for one full-time income to suffice for a decent family life. Children from low-income families would have free access to school, education and sports programs.

The AfD wants to encourage companies to offer parents a path back into work after a family-related break. The public sector is to give parents more weight than childless applicants when hiring.

Many parents take a break from work. The AfD wants to make it easier to come back. Companies should get help for this. The state as an employer should prefer parents when hiring.

According to the platform, even highly qualified workers decide against children for fear of career setbacks. Companies should therefore create re-entry options, with flexible hours where needed. The AfD names less red tape, tax relief, or subsidies for employers as tools. The public sector is to lead by example and give parents greater consideration than applicants without children.

The AfD wants to compensate parents for lost earnings when they cut back on work to care for their young children themselves. It wants to promote traditional family structures while leaving the choice of childcare arrangement to parents.

Some parents stay home for their small children. Then they earn less money. The AfD wants the state to make up for that. Parents should decide for themselves how to care for their children.

The platform cites attachment research and sees risks for small children's development in early separation from their parents. Parents and single parents who provide care themselves are to receive material compensation, as are relatives and childminders. The AfD argues that a daycare spot for a child under three costs municipalities more than 1,000 euros a month on average, and points to rulings by the Federal Constitutional Court. Child-rearing periods should also count toward pensions. In the party's view, one salary should again be enough to support a family with several young children.