Employers warn of permanent unviability in the statutory pension system if the age of 63 for retirement is maintained, following intense debates, according to a report by Bild.
Steffen Kampeter, the CEO of the Federal Association of German Employers’ Associations (BDA), expressed deep frustration to the newspaper: “I am astonished that central elements of the pension package are being questioned before they have even been implemented.” He argues that anyone wishing to secure jobs and the competitiveness of Germany must reform the social state. Continuing to insist on retirement starting at age 63 while ignoring the demographic shift, the skills shortage, and the current economic situation is impossible, in his view.
Kampeter warned that by doing so, the country risks wasting perhaps its last chance to make the pension system sustainable in the long run. He emphasized that a secure, future-proof pension requires increased employment and a larger pool of contributors, alongside solid financing-rather than relying solely on new promises at the expense of younger generations.
