“If I don’t have enough money, I work more,” says the Chancellor. Is he right or is he terribly wrong?
The citizen video is heating up people’s minds. Some criticize Nehammer, others agree with the chancellor. What is true? Can women simply work more hours if there is no longer enough money, as the chancellor claims? And can every family afford a hot meal for the children? Here’s a fact check:
Why do 50 percent of working women have part-time jobs?
AMS boss Johannes Kopf has interesting figures. 40 percent of women say they have a part-time job because of childcare or informal care. Full-time work is not desirable for 25 percent. Seven percent mention other personal or family reasons. Six percent have not found a full-time job. 10 percent are also following further education. By comparison, only eight percent of men work part-time to care for children.
Where does the imbalance in motives for part-time work come from?
The conclusion of these facts: “There are too many places missing in kindergartens. In Austria, ten percent of kindergartens still have 51 closing days. “It is not possible to bridge these closing days, even though father and mother always go on holiday separately with the children,” Kopf criticizes.
The biggest obstacle is the lack of places in kindergartens
Another factor is the cost of preschool. There is not a free kindergarten everywhere like in Vienna. An example from Upper Austria. “If a woman increases from 20 to 30 hours per week, she earns about 500 euros more net. But kindergarten costs 265 euros. More than half of the 500 euros is gone,” says Kopf. Conclusion: Here Nehammer should direct the criticism at his party, because the expansion of kindergarten places was blocked by the ÖVP for decades. However, Nehammer launched a kindergarten package with 4.5 billion.
Can parents afford a hot meal for the family or not?
Officially, almost every fifth child in Austria is at risk of falling into poverty. However, there is also a counter-narrative: the risk of poverty today under Chancellor Nehammer is about as high as in 2016 – under the last SPÖ Chancellor Kern. Over the past two years, the government has taken numerous measures to cushion inflation for families at risk of poverty. The National Council’s budget office has determined that Austrians’ income is significantly higher than the inflation rate in effect since 2019.
How much are the relief packages for families?
Here is an example: A single parent with two children (13 and 15) and a gross income of 1,600 euros benefits as follows: She receives 300 euros more because of the increased extra child benefit. Another 400 euros will be added due to the increase in the rate level limits and the deductible amounts. There is an increase of 500 euros due to the inflation correction of child benefit and child tax credit. And the adopted child poverty package provides 60 euros more per child per month. Ultimately, the single mother will have about 2,640 euros more in her account in 2024. Conclusion: Inflation appears to have been absorbed by the aid.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
