Pension: Lindner cuts special payments and receives severe criticism: "Traffic light jeopardizes old-age security"

Created: 03/24/2022, 04:54

By: Lisa Mayerhofer

Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner wants to help companies that are threatened with bankruptcy because of the sanctions against Russia.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Finance Minister Christian Lindner wants to cancel special payments of 500 million euros for pension insurance.

The German Trade Union Confederation warns of the consequences.

Berlin - The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) has warned the traffic light coalition against "reaching into the pension fund".

Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner* (FDP) wants to cut 500 million euros from the federal budget for pension insurance, said DGB board member Anja Piel of the

with a view to the draft for the federal budget for 2022. "With a simple stroke of the pen he could cancel the security promise , which was the traffic light in the coalition agreement at the end of the year,” warned Piel.

Lindner provides billions - and cuts special payments into the pension fund

Last week, the federal government launched the first regular budget of the traffic light government made up of SPD, Greens and FDP.

Actually, the 2022 budget would have been a "step towards normalizing budgetary policy after the pandemic budgets" with fewer new debts, Lindner said on Wednesday in Berlin.

But the war in Ukraine fundamentally changed the situation.

"Now we have to assume that additional expenses will also come our way."

The government is therefore planning to take on new debt.

In the core budget, 99.7 billion euros in new debt is to be taken on.

In addition, the regular defense budget will increase to 50.3 billion euros in view of the Ukraine war.

In addition, there is a special fund of over 100 billion invested over several years.

Billions are also being made available for the energy transition: around 200 billion euros are to be spent by 2026 from the climate and transformation fund.

In addition, with a view to the Ukraine conflict*, 1.5 billion are earmarked for a gas reserve.

In addition, there are tax breaks for citizens such as a higher flat rate for long-distance commuters and a higher flat rate for advertising expenses.

However, the government has canceled the special payments from the federal government to the pension insurance companies in the amount of 500 million euros.

DGB: Pension insurance will be missing 500 million euros

For DGB board member Piel, this is a mistake: SPD and Greens must put a stop to this plan immediately, she demanded: "By 2024 at the latest, the pension insurance will be missing these 500 million euros." The coalition is putting trust in old-age security and pensions* at risk , she criticized.

According to Piel, however, it would be a confidence-building measure "if the federal government finally raised the minimum reserve in the pension insurance system".

The trade unionist emphasized that the pension commission had already recommended this to the previous federal government.

"A higher reserve would - especially in crises - ensure the reliable payment of statutory pensions*," said Piel.

The coalition must finally act "instead of continuing to postpone the urgently needed increase".

The minimum reserve for pension insurance is currently 0.2 monthly expenses.