The Green Party plans to rally support through a petition advocating against proposed cuts to state financial support for children, young adults, and people with disabilities. Speaking to “T-Online” on Wednesday, Green spokeswoman Franziska Brantner stated, “With this petition, we are fighting for a political system that strengthens rather than weakens, and opens up opportunities rather than closing them off”. The party notes that women are particularly vulnerable to the potential reductions, as they often handle the bulk of caregiving responsibilities and risk being pushed into deeper dependency and uncertainty by current policies.
The party’s appeal, titled “Strengthening Women Instead of Burdening Them” argues that comprehensive structural reforms are urgently needed. However, the current government plans, according to the Greens, fail to account for existing supportive structures. Instead, the federal government appears intent on cutting support where it predicts the least resistance. These measures would worsen the situation for women, forcing them into part-time work, dependence, and increased risk of poverty. This critical stance is rooted in comprehensive reduction proposals released by a working group representing the federal government, states, and municipalities in mid-April.
The Greens primarily criticize initiatives such as cuts to maintenance allowances (Unterhaltsvorschuss) or the adjustment of mandatory full-day care entitlements for school children. Brantner argues that these specific measures disproportionately affect single parents and severely impede their ability to achieve true participation in society. Instead, structural changes are required that would ease the burden, provide security, and grant women equal opportunities for economic and political involvement.
To achieve this, the Green Party presents several concrete policy demands. Regarding healthcare, they call for a solidarity fund accessible to all, requiring contributions from civil servants, the self-employed, and high earners. They also insist that services currently not covered by insurance should be financed through taxes. Furthermore, full-day childcare must be consistently expanded, requiring the federal government to provide adequate financial relief to local communities. To support single parents, they demand a stable maintenance allowance, and they advocate blocking cuts to psychotherapy fees while expanding the number of therapy slots.
On the labor market, the party seeks to reinforce genuine opportunities through reliable childcare and reforms to the marital benefits system (Ehegattensplitting) along with free joint insurance coverage. They also insist that contributions-free insurance coverage must remain an option for parents of young children and family caregivers. Finally, they demand mandatory wage transparency and effective penalties for salary discrimination, ensuring that everyone has greater chances to earn a higher wage.