The German Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister, Lars Klingbeil, has strongly rebuked a recent proposal by Economics Minister Katarina Reiche (CDU) to potentially raise the standard retirement age to 70 years.
Speaking to RTL and ntv, Klingbeil characterized Reiche’s suggestion as simplistic, questioning the disconnect between policymakers and the realities faced by working individuals across the country. He emphasized the importance of considering the experiences of professions demanding physical labor, such as roofers, caregivers and educators, many of whom struggle to reach the current retirement age of 67.
“To tell these people that we now want them to work even longer is a slap in the face for many” Klingbeil stated. He reiterated previous agreements made during coalition negotiations, firmly prohibiting any increases to the retirement age.
Instead of raising the retirement age, the government’s focus should be on incentivizing those already retired to remain in the workforce on a voluntary basis, thereby freeing up additional financial resources. The aim, he explained, is to make continued employment after retirement a more appealing option, rather than mandating longer working lives.
