Fri, 12 March 2010
Text size
Estranged couples turn reluctant flatmates as many struggle to sell their houses at a reasonable price.MADRID - People may marry for love, but divorce is about money, as Spain's deepening economic crisis is making clear.
This year's slowdown and the credit crunch affecting banks are cutting divorce rates, said Madrid divorce lawyer Antonio Prada.
Divorce rates are estimated to be down 30 percent so far.
"It has become extremely difficult for couples wanting to divorce to sell their home at a reasonable price, and the crisis is also making it harder to maintain two separate households," Prada told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
As a result, couples which no longer have anything to say to each other stay under the same roof, developing what Prada termed as "new forms of living together".
Divorce rates went into a clear decline earlier in 2007, when the meltdown of Spain's key property sector and the international economic conjuncture put an abrupt end to more than a decade of uninterrupted growth.
Growth has now plunged from 3.8 percent in 2007 to close to zero, and unemployment has soared past 10 percent. Prices of used housing dropped by more than 10 percent in the first nine months of this year, according to the property valuation company Tinsa.
Although the government has plans to inject up to EUR 150 billion into the financial system to shore up banks, the deepening economic crisis could discourage divorces further, said analysts.
"Couples which intended to divorce may even stay together permanently," Prada said.
"The economic crisis would thus help to preserve marriages" in cases where the partners have at least friendly relations, he added.
However, there are couples who cannot stand the sight of each other and are resorting to "internet divorces" based on standard contracts supplied by law firms charging low fees.
This does not necessarily lead to happier times for those involved though.
Trying to size up the education system is one of the hardest things facing those embarking on a foreign posting. We set out what you should know about German schools and daycare.
Want to move to Germany but haven’t figured out the details? Check out Expatica’s overview of the German visa and citizenship system.
In part one of our two part series, we cover the driving culture in Berlin, where to park and buy gas and, most importantly, the laws.
Our comprehensive overview of the ins and outs of employment in Germany, including information on how to find work, recruitment agencies, employment contracts and labour law.
Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook
Flickr
General rating: Not rated yet
Rate article:
Add my rating