Parental Allowance Reform Burdens Mothers & Mandatory Lithuania Deployment
In this issue: New rules for parental allowance could distribute the burden of childcare unequally. Bundeswehr soldiers must prepare for mandatory foreign deployments in Lithuania. Additionally, police are investigating following an explosion in Berlin-Wedding.
The new regulation of parental allowance will make it more difficult in the future to divide childcare fairly between parents. Mothers, in particular, are expected to bear the brunt of so-called care work (unpaid care and supervision of children). Parental allowance is a state payment that supports parents during loss of income after the birth of a child; according to reports, the new provisions make it harder for both parents to utilize it equally.
Bundeswehr soldiers can be assigned to service in Lithuania against their will in the future. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that participation in the brigade there is no longer based solely on volunteering. For soldiers and their families, this means less planning security, as transfers for permanent service on NATO's eastern flank can now be ordered.
In Berlin-Wedding, a hand grenade caused severe damage in front of a "Spätkauf" (a small shop with long opening hours). On Monday night, the explosion damaged a building facade, shop windows, and several cars. State security has taken over the investigation to determine whether the act has a political background or is linked to organized crime.
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