France launches new government service empowered to take money directly from bank accounts of parents who do not pay child support
PARIS – France launches new government service to take money directly from the bank accounts of parents who do not pay child support, in order to help many families – most of whom are single mothers – get out of precarious financial situations.
In a tweet, President Emmanuel Macron denounced unpaid child support as “an unbearable situation for hundreds of thousands of single parents” before visiting a charity in Tours, central France, which provides the new service on Tuesday.
“Thank you” for the measure, Macron, a single mother of three, told her, detailing her personal situation, involving domestic violence and harassment from her ex-husband and deep financial difficulties. “It’s a great relief,” she said.
The mothers who spoke to Macron did not provide their names for privacy reasons.
The French authorities estimate that between 30% and 40% of child support is either not paid, or only partially paid, or paid too late – placing at least 300,000 families in financial insecurity.
Single parents represent one of four families in France, of which 85% are mothers. One third live below the poverty line.
For these families, receiving child support – an average of 170 euros ($ 209) per month for each child – is essential.
The measure also aims to prevent financial pressures and threats sometimes exerted by parents.
Under the new system, any mother or father can apply for the new government service, regardless of whether the other parent agrees. Once established, the service pays for the money until the child turns 18 years old.
The issue was raised in 2019 during the “great debate” launched by Macron to allow the French to express their dissatisfaction after weeks of anti-government protests, with yellow vests, denouncing social injustice.
“I was struck by the number of women who told me they couldn’t live decently because their alimony was not paid,” Macron said at the time.
Many European countries face similar problems.
In neighboring Belgium, crazy parents have been a problem to the point where the government has taken action by creating a special service that helps people in their legal search to get the money they owe and offers advances if necessary.
Last year, the Czech government proposed a program to guarantee the payment of child support to single parents, which will take effect on 1 July. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has estimated that the state will initially cover child allowance payments of up to 3,000 Czech crowns ($ 140) per month for about 24,000 children. The government will then demand the money from those who failed to pay.
In Germany, about half of all child support payments from divorced parents are either not or not paid in full, according to estimates. In cases where parents are too poor, the state pays child allowance up to the age of 18.
In Poland, a 2007 law established a fund that pays up to 500 zlotys ($ 134) for children who do not receive their alimony. Prior to this, parents can apply for a court order to try to get the money, but only about 13% of the outstanding or unpaid alimony is redeemed.
In many other countries, such as Greece, Spain and Portugal, the main appeal is sought in court, which often leads to long delays and costly proceedings before any decision is taken.
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Raf Casert in Brussels, Karel Janicek in Prague, Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Aritz Parra in Madrid, Barry Hatton in Lisbon all contributed to the story.