As of: March 18, 2024, 3:11 p.m
By: Kathrin Reikowski
Comments
Press
Split
Lars Klingbeil (SPD) with Caren Miosga.
© ARD Caren Miosga/ Screenshot
Lars Klingbeil (SPD) gets caught in the crossfire with Caren Miosga when it comes to pensions - and at one point is even laughed at by the group.
Berlin – “Sometimes I think there has been disrespectful talk about pensions in the last few weeks,” said SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil on Sunday evening (March 17).
He was a guest on the ARD talk show “Caren Miosga”.
The title of the episode was: “What else does the SPD need for, Mr. Klingbeil?” In addition to the SPD party leader and moderator Caren Miosga, the journalist and lawyer Helene Bubrowski and Moritz Schularick, President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, addressed the topic, among others Pension.
Pension discussion at “Caren Miosga” with SPD leader Lars Klingbeil
Klingbeil's first statement sparked understanding nods in the discussion group.
“It is currently a question of whether people who have worked hard throughout their lives have the right to have an adequate pension.
And I think the answer to that has to be: Yes, they have the right,” the SPD leader began.
According to the current pension atlas from the German Pension Insurance, the average pension in Germany is currently around 1,550 euros gross.
“Incidentally, this was one of the issues that we promised very clearly in the election campaign.
The legislation currently provides for the permanent stabilization of pension levels,” he continued.
SPD Labor Minister Hubertus Heil recently promised that the pension level could remain stable at 48 percent.
When asked how he could guarantee the now 18-year-old an adequate pension, Klingbeil explained that the most important thing is that many people work and earn well.
“The best pension policy is a sensible wage policy,” said the SPD leader.
That's why his party is committed to increasing the minimum wage, among other things.
Klingbeil statements raise eyebrows: “Everything that was said by naysayers didn’t happen”
Klingbeil's next statements should cause frowns and even laughter in the group.
He indicated that he believes the German pension system is sustainable if a few changes are made.
“To be honest, you have to say that we had the same debates on talk shows 20 years ago, that everything is broken, everything is over,” said Klingbeil.
At that time the contributions were over 22 percent.
Now, since Heil took office, they have been at 18.6 percent for a long time.
At that time there were also currents in the SPD that said that the legal pillar had to be abolished and everything should be made private.
“Thank God we didn’t do that,” Klingbeil said.
Ten years ago the same debates about pensions took place.
“Everything that was said by the doom-mongers didn’t happen,” he tried to appease.
“We don’t have to worry?” Klingbeil’s pension statements cause laughter
“That means we don’t have to worry?” asked presenter Miosga in disbelief.
Her question was met with loud laughter from the other talk guests.
“That’s the same answer that the Chancellor gives – everything will be fine,” said lawyer Helene Bubrowski.
Even as a non-expert, she can see that the statutory pension has no future.
“If we look at the demographics, I think in the 1960s there were six people working for a retiree, and when I retire it will be one employee working for a retiree,” Bubrowski gave an example.
My news
A four-year-old has a tumor in his head – parents ask for help reading
Deaf to noise: Three US nerds declare war on Putin with a cheap drone read
“Detailed explanations are due”: Lauterbach Ministry is giving away almost a million euros – by reading the mail
Habeck wants to have gas networks shut down: What that means for consumers read
“Stunned after all the rumors”: Princess Kate surprises with public appearance
EU obligation to renovate decided: What now applies to German homeowners read
Lawyer Helene Bubrowski, presenter Carmen Miosga, Lars Klingbeil and Moritz Schularick, President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy on ARD - disbelief after Klingbeil's pension statements.
© ARD Carmen Miosga/ Screenshot
“The Chancellor can promise that the pension level will be guaranteed, but in reality, of course, he cannot promise it,” said Bubrowski in summary.
Neither the Chancellor nor the SPD could single-handedly stop demographic change and stabilize this pension system.
She called on Klingbeil and the SPD to make the system “future-proof” because the SPD in particular had to take responsibility for this towards its clientele.
Pension discussion with “Caren Miosga”: “You cannot override economic logic”
“You cannot override economic logic,” explained economic expert Schularick.
The financing has to be right.
There are doubts among voters given the demographic developments.
“We have to find other ways of financing,” he made clear.
“To say now that the pension is secure because we have fixed something for 15 years is not a sustainable policy,” added Schularick.
Klingbeil then suggested reforming company and private pensions and also making work more attractive for people who wanted to work longer in retirement.
However, he is against raising the retirement age for people who, for example, have already worked for 45 years at the age of 63, or weakening the welfare state.
“The welfare state is the single parent who works but can’t make ends meet, the hospital and the daycare center,” said Klingbeil.
We have to maintain that, but increase the income side and think about the debt brake.
According to government plans, ten billion euros a year will soon come from the so-called generation capital - a share package whose profits are to be distributed to pensioners.
However, many experts, including those on the “Caren Miosga” show, criticize the package as being too small and a “drop in the ocean”.
The trade association only recently gave a drastic assessment of the pension situation.
Former Labor Minister Andrea Nahles has also spoken out in favor of not setting up any company programs for early retirement.
(cat)