“The goal of many young parents in Germany is for both partners to be able to work, spend time with their children and share household responsibilities.”

“In practice, however, patterns often persist that favor men in mixed-gender couples. Women are still significantly more likely to work part-time, while men are more frequently the primary earners.”

“The imbalance is reflected in the latest gender pay gap data from Germany's Federal Statistical Office. The figures for 2025 show that the gap remains wide.”

“German sociologist Jutta Allmendinger said the discrepancy was not due to a lack of good intentions.”

“When we ask couples what would happen if they had a child now, 80% of men say they would reduce their working hours and they would want an equal split”

“Men still earn more than women on average. That means that women are more likely to take parental leave or shift to part-time work, which incidentally makes them less likely to advance into leadership positions.”

“Germany's tax system favors married couples in which one partner earns significantly more than the other.”

“Allmendinger said, 'That leads to couples dividing their responsibilities in response to tax rules, not according to any principles of fairness they themselves had agreed on,'”

“In the eastern German states — the area that used to be in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) — fewer women work part-time, and career breaks tend to be shorter, even with the usual structural challenges.”

“In West Germany, the model was the single-earner marriage. A 'good family' was one where the husband worked and the wife didn't have to — with the emphasis on 'have to,'”

“Allmendinger said the solution must be sustainable. The standard 40-hour workweek for everyone, with no concession made for unpaid child care, isn't realistic.”

“Allmendinger has proposed a new standard: a 33-hour workweek for all. 'My concept is for men to slightly reduce their average working hours, and for women to slightly increase theirs,' she said.”

“Allmendinger said advances in artificial intelligence would make reduced working hours even more feasible.”

“Iceland has made headlines for studies testing shorter working hours.”

“Countries such as Iceland have proved that change is possible. For the past 16 years, Iceland has ranked first in the Global Gender Gap Report.”

“Women in the east tend to have smaller gaps in retirement income compared with men. In western Germany, the gap is much wider, reflecting different work patterns over a lifetime.”