Oliver Ruhnert, secretary‑general of the BSW, sharply criticized the current talks about further raising Germany’s statutory retirement age and demanded a comprehensive overhaul of the pension system. He called the consideration of a 70‑year‑old retirement age “unacceptable” and described the pension commission’s discussion of this option as a scandal. Ruhnert maintains that any additional increase would effectively cut pensions for millions of citizens and denounced the Social Democrats in particular, accusing them of essentially knowing that the SPD would also bend on the issue.
In contrast, he cited Austria’s pension scheme as a potential model for Germany. According to Ruhnert, Austrians retire at 65 and, on average, receive €800 more per month than Germans do. He attributes this success to the country’s broad contributor base, which includes the self‑employed and civil servants. He urged the German pension commission to propose a move toward a truly solidaristic system that incorporates everyone. In Austria, all citizens-including civil servants, ministers, and parliamentarians-contribute to the pension fund.
Earlier reports had suggested that the federal pension commission was debating a retirement age of 70. The working group’s aim is to devise a sustainable pension reform.
