Retire at 68? All parties are in agreement on this proposal, but the discussion will certainly continue

Advisors to the Ministry of Economic Affairs advocate retirement at 68. But in politics, the proposal meets with broad rejection across party lines.

Munich - Some bombs burst at an inopportune time.

In the middle of the election campaign, the Scientific Advisory Board of the Federal Ministry of Economics * throws a paper into the ring that has it all.

The experts fear "a sudden increase in financing problems in the statutory pension insurance from 2025" and therefore call for a "dynamic link between the retirement age and life expectancy".

In practice, the proposal would mean nothing less than a reform towards retirement at 68. After such a regulation, this entry age would be reached in 2042.

And that, when it was not decided until 2010 to increase the retirement age to 67 years by 2029. 

Pension dispute in the election campaign: Left boss speaks of "antisocial Oberhammer"

The reactions were not long in coming.

On the same evening, Linke boss Susanne Hennig-Wellsow described the proposal as an “anti-social Oberhammer” and threatened that if Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) did not suddenly receive the report from his advisors, “the pension campaign will begin tomorrow”.

The next day the SPD followed suit.

It is "antisocial, what is calculated there," said Chancellor candidate and GroKo finance minister Olaf Scholz.

And SPD labor minister Hubertus Heil made it clear: "I consider further raising the retirement age to be the wrong approach."

Pension dispute in the election campaign: Dobrindt focuses on "effective reform of private provision"

The rejection does not just come from the left.

The CSU is also against the expert proposal.

We reject a later retirement age, ”said state group leader Alexander Dobrindt.

In order to make pensions more secure, an “effective reform of private provision” is required.

This must be "more successful and efficient," demanded Dobrindt.

And the FDP * also contradicts the experts.

The retirement at 68 is "nonsense", writes the deputy party leader Johannes Vogel on Twitter.

“But you can't ignore the funding gap or discuss it away,” says Vogel.

He proposes a statutory share pension based on the Swedish model.

+

One opinion on the pension: Peter Altmaier (left) and Olaf Scholz have long been campaigning.

© Bernd Von Jutrczenka / dpa

Pension dispute in the election campaign: Altmaier cashes in on the proposal of the Scientific Advisory Board

At lunchtime, the Federal Minister of Economics also speaks up - and does what the left has asked of him: he accepts the proposal. The retirement age was set at 67 years "at the suggestion of my esteemed colleague" Franz Müntefering (SPD *). “It should stay that way, that's been my opinion for years,” Altmaier writes on Twitter. The Scientific Advisory Board of the Ministry of Economic Affairs is independent. His proposals are not binding on either the ministry or the minister.

However, the issue should only be cleared up temporarily.

Because, according to the assessment of the advisory board, “sharply increasing subsidies from the federal budget” would have to flow into the pension fund if the valid holding lines for contributions and the pension level were to be maintained.

"That would be at the expense of future investments, for example in education, infrastructure and climate protection, and would undermine the sustainability of our social system."

In view of this, employer president Rainer Dulger called for an honest discussion.

"I expect those involved in politics in the next legislature, too, that my children will also be able to receive an adequate pension at the end of a fulfilling working life."

(Sebastian Horsch) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN. MEDIA

List of rubric lists: © Bernd Von Jutrczenka / dpa