Family expert Michaela Kreyenfeld expressed concern that the government’s austerity measures are causing important social issues and policies to be neglected. Speaking to the Mediengruppe Bayern, the professor of sociology at Hertie School of Governance stated that even established social measures are now subject to increased scrutiny.
She cites the non-contributory co-insurance for non-working spouses as a prime example of this concern. According to Kreyenfeld, the existing spousal tax-splitting system (Ehegattensplitting) is also coming under heightened review. The expert points out that both provisions share a common problem: they primarily benefit specific, often traditional, family models-especially married couples with a highly demarcated division of labor. Conversely, other family structures benefit significantly less from these regulations. For instance, she notes that mothers with young children who are solely responsible for caretaking following a separation or divorce would be forced to pay for their health insurance themselves and would not benefit from the tax-splitting system.
Kreyenfeld raises fundamental questions about the inherent fairness of these regulations, such as whether family policies should provide benefits to groups who do not require that type of support, such as married couples whose children are already grown. She warns that current rules enjoy a degree of institutional protection, and any necessary reforms for those affected often come with significant cuts. Therefore, she stresses the critical need to maintain focus on the distribution effects of such measures.