Will the next federal government consist of a traffic light coalition?
The subject of pensions is a crucial point in the negotiations.
We explain the ambitions of the SPD, Greens and FDP.
Berlin / Munich - Experts warn: The German pension system needs a general overhaul.
How exactly that should look like, however, the opinions differ.
In discussions about a traffic light coalition between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, the topic of old-age provision should play an important role.
Because securing the future of pensions is a huge challenge that the next federal government will inevitably have to face - regardless of its composition.
After all, even before the Corona, it was foreseeable that the pension system in this country would have reached its limits *.
Reform of the German pension system: the friction points between red, green and yellow
The matter burns a large part of the population on the soul.
Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz kept her in the limelight before the federal election *, accompanied by other social issues such as the fight against the housing misery in big cities or the increase in the minimum wage.
These statements are likely to have contributed significantly to the upturn in the SPD.
After the general election, a traffic light coalition * is now emerging.
When it comes to pensions, however, the ideas of the parties involved, red, green and yellow, differ from one another.
We explain the crux of the matter when negotiating a government alliance:
Retirement age
Pension level
Sovereign wealth fund
Citizen Insurance
Retirement age
:
The pension from 67 comes gradually, until 2029 the statutory retirement age will be raised. In the meantime, a pension from 68 or even beyond is also being discussed. However, this should not (yet) play a role in the upcoming legislative period. While the SPD rejects a further increase in the retirement age, the Greens and FDP advocate a flexible retirement age, which, as is already the case, is associated with cutting back on an earlier end of work.
Pension level:
The incumbent government coalition made up of the Union and SPD had the statutory pension level fixed at at least 48 percent until 2025.
This topic could also be avoided by a traffic light coalition.
Both the Social Democrats and the Greens want to adhere to this regulation.
However, a softening of the debt brake is being touted for, which Annalena Baerbock recently made
clear
to
Merkur.de
.
That could lead to friction with the FDP: The Liberals reject this and want to avoid additional debt.
According to reports, this in turn would be inevitable if the entry age, pension level and contribution rates remained unchanged.
Pension system on the verge of upheaval: SPD, Greens and FDP welcome state funds
Two other factors show why a huge upheaval is looming in the German pension system. In the opinion of many, a pension reform will hardly work in the future without a funded pension: This is also suggested by the election programs of the potential government parties SPD, Greens and FDP. The characteristics are different for red, green and yellow:
State funds: It
would be interesting to see whether red, green and yellow can quickly agree on a common strategy for public pension funds in coalition negotiations. Sweden is a good example: the Scandinavians introduced a program with broadly diversified index funds on international stock markets back in 2000. The Northern Europeans support their traditional pension system with the financial market pension scheme. As
Spiegel.de
explains, the Swedish pension fund model has generated an average of seven percent annually since its introduction - despite various financial crises.
What would a possible agreement look like?
The FDP insists on incorporating as many legally insured persons as possible into the capital-covered state fund, as part of the mandatory first pillar.
The Liberals would see the entry into a structural pension reform secured.
A compromise with regard to the debt brake seems hardly feasible for the party: After all, this is a central election campaign promise of the FDP.
Would the SPD and the Greens move away from their idea of a state fund as a purely voluntary solution to private provision?
Pension and citizens' insurance: focus on civil servants, members of parliament and the self-employed
Citizens'
insurance
:
One of the main reasons for the precarious situation * in the German pension system is that many self-employed, civil servants and members of parliament do not pay any contributions to the pension insurance. However, civil servants and members of parliament receive pension entitlements - not really a seemingly fair principle, especially since there is another aspect *: While the SPD is advocating the introduction of citizens' insurance, the FDP is resisting it. A possible compromise could be found in the party program of the Greens: The eco-party * would like to gradually convert the pension into a citizen insurance. Initially, self-employed people who are not yet insured and members of parliament are to be integrated into the pension system.
(PF)
* Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
List of rubric lists: © Serienlicht / Imago
