North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Karl-Josef Laumann, has called for a re-evaluation of Germany’s pension system, suggesting any adjustments to statutory retirement ages must be mirrored in the pension schemes for civil servants. In an interview, Laumann argued that changes to retirement benefits-whether increases or decreases-should apply consistently across all pension provisions.
He acknowledged the differing structures of the two systems, but highlighted a significant disparity in benefit levels, noting that the current statutory pension system provides approximately 48% of previous income, while civil servant pensions average around 20 percentage points higher.
Addressing the ongoing debate surrounding retirement age, Laumann distanced himself from proposals advocating for a retirement age of 70. He expressed frustration with certain youth political factions advocating for such measures while simultaneously pursuing extended education. He emphasized that Germany already maintains a relatively high retirement age compared to many other European nations.
Laumann underscored the importance of providing opportunities for individuals who began working at a young age to retire earlier. He also stated he does not believe excessively high pensions are a widespread issue within Germany, suggesting a need for comprehensive analysis rather than broad generalizations.
