Stocker apologises for saying childcare is not work

Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker has publicly apologised for saying childcare was not work, ORF reported. The ÖVP leader faced criticism from the FPÖ, the Greens and his coalition partner, the SPÖ.

“A sentence from me is currently causing discussion. Rightly so, because it is wrong,” Stocker said in a statement on Friday.

At an event in Salzburg on Thursday, Stocker was asked by an audience member what he intended to do for mothers. He replied: “Childcare is not unpaid work for me.” He added that he had not raised his children by calculating “what do I get in return?”

“To all those who feel hurt, insulted or not valued by my statement, I apologise in the clearest terms,” Stocker said. “Childcare is work. Women, who in the vast majority of families still take on most of the responsibility for raising children, achieve great things through it.”

Stocker said mothers, fathers and grandparents all made an outstanding contribution through caring for and raising children. They deserved society’s thanks, respect and support, he said.

ÖVP women’s leader Juliane Bogner-Strauß welcomed Stocker’s clarification, saying politicians had a duty to recognise mothers’ work and support women with good childcare, genuine freedom of choice and better compatibility between family and employment.

Lower Austria’s governor, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, had previously defended Stocker, saying she understood him to mean that children represented much more joy than work for their parents. Salzburg Governor Karoline Edtstadler also backed the chancellor, saying that as a formerly single mother she knew how demanding childcare was. Mothers and fathers did great things and deserved political support, she said.