In recent years, the photogenic mother of seven has pushed through a number of measures making child-bearing less of a financial burden, such as generous income support for both men and women taking parental leave.
The policies appear to be working. Germany’s birth rate, which had been in decline for years, rose slightly in both 2007 and, as recently released statistics suggest, 2008.
Lets put this success in context. From later on in the article…..
Von der Leyen pointed to the increase in the fertility rate in Germany, which rose to 1.37 children per woman in 2007 from 1.33 in 2004.
I am not trying to knock the Spiegel article. It is mostly about how economic problems endanger the recent “success” that Germany has had in raising its birth rate. But even if this “success” had continued on its current course, Germany still would not have any hope. The birth rate simply was not increasing fast enough even in good times to stave off disaster. And as everyone knows, good times do not last forever.