Bärbel Bas, the Federal Minister of Labor and Welfare from the SPD, ruled out introducing a retirement age of 70 during this legislative term. She made the statement on Monday during the ntv programme “Pinar Atalay” when asked whether she could exclude a 70‑year‑old pension. The possibility had already been discussed in coalition talks.
Bas said that a fixed age is not the only option: “It is obviously simpler for a system to have a specific number, but we have to ask ourselves how long‑term insured workers can still retire at some point”. The key question is how many years a person must contribute in order to receive a good retirement benefit.
Those questions are currently debated by the Aging Security Commission. Bas urged the SPD to stay open to the discussion but stressed that it must be secured that long‑term insured individuals can exit the system while still receiving a pension that guarantees their living standard. She added that workers who may not be able to stay in employment for long due to health reasons also need protection.
However, the SPD chair confirmed that no decision on this issue will be taken during the current legislative period.
