France launches new government service empowered to withdraw money directly from bank accounts of parents who do not pay child support
PARIS – France launches new government service to withdraw money directly from bank accounts of parents who do not pay child support, with the aim of helping many families, the vast majority run by single mothers, get out of precarious financial situations .
President Emmanuel Macron denounced in an tweet the unpaid alimony as “an unbearable situation for hundreds of thousands of single parents”, before visiting on Tuesday a benefit agency in Tours, in central France, which offers the new service .
“Thank you” for the measure, a single mother of three told Macron, who detailed her personal situation, domestic violence and harassment of her ex-husband and deep financial difficulties. “That’s a big relief,” he said.
The mothers who spoke to Macron did not provide her name for privacy reasons.
The French authorities estimate that between 30% and 40% of child support amounts are not paid, only partially paid or paid too late, placing at least 300,000 families in financial insecurity.
Single fathers represent one in four families in France, 85% of whom are mothers. One third live below the poverty rate.
For these families, it is essential to get child support (on average 170 euros ($ 209) per month for each child).
The measure also aims to prevent financial pressure and the threats that sometimes make parents dead.
Under the new system, any parent can apply for the new government service, regardless of whether the other parent disagrees. Once on site, the service is responsible for paying the money until the child is 18 years old.
The issue was raised in 2019 during the “big debate” launched by Macron to allow the French to express their grievances after weeks of yellow vest anti-government protests denouncing social injustice.
“I was struck by the number of women who told me they couldn’t live decently because they weren’t paid alimony,” Macron said at the time.
Many European countries face similar problems.
In neighboring Belgium, dead parents have been a problem to the point that the government has taken steps to create a special service that helps people in their legal search to get the money they owe and move forward if necessary.
Last year, the Czech government proposed a program to ensure payment of child support to single parents, which will take effect on July 1. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs estimated that the state will initially cover child support payments of up to 3,000 Czech crowns. ($ 140) a month for about 24,000 children. The government will claim the money from those who have not paid.
According to estimates, in Germany, about half of all child support payments by divorced parents do not pay or are not fully paid. In cases where the parents are too poor, the state pays child support until the children are 18 years old.
In Poland, a 2007 law established a fund that pays up to 500 zlotys ($ 134) for children who do not receive the alimony due. Previously, parents can apply for a court order to try to get the money, but only about 13% of the alimony expired or unpaid is exchanged.
In many other countries, such as Greece, Spain and Portugal, the main appeal is to the courts, which often involves lengthy delays and costly proceedings before making any decision.
—————
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.