Hubert Hüppe, the chair of the Seniors’ Union within the CDU, publicly distanced himself from statements made by Chancellor and Party Chairman Friedrich Merz. Merz had previously characterized the statutory pension insurance as nothing more than “basic security for old age”.
Speaking to “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Friday editions), Hüppe strongly argued that it is crucial that anyone who has worked and paid contributions for 45 years receives a substantial amount more than basic old-age security, even if their income was limited to minimum wage. He warned that if the pension system does not provide this adequate level of support, the incentive for people to work rather than rely on benefits will decrease. According to Hüppe, this lack of incentive could further encourage tax evasion and illegal labor practices.
