Economist Martin Werding has called for the abolition of the widow’s pension. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” (Saturday edition), Werding argued that the current system is outdated, stating that women can now adequately provide for themselves, adding that family law has advanced farther than social law.
The current widow’s pension places a significant financial strain on the German pension fund, costing nearly 50 billion euros annually-an eighth of its total expenditures-and is categorized by the pension insurance body as a benefit not tied to insurance contributions.
The Bochum economist pointed to the example of Sweden, noting that while transitional periods and legal protection for existing cases are necessary, Sweden abolished the widow’s pension for all marriages contracted after 1990.
Werding proposed that pension splitting should replace the existing benefit. According to him, a pension split would allow partners to divide all pension points they accumulated during the course of their marriage. During both partners’ lifetimes, their individual pensions would be slightly lower; however, if one partner passes away, the surviving spouse would receive more than half of the total.
Werding stressed that a reform of the widow’s pension is urgently needed. He noted that the Pension Commission, which he was a member of, only vaguely touched upon the issue. Their final report simply recommended examining reform options that would adapt survivor benefits to meet changing societal norms and circumstances.
