Thorsten Frei, the chairman of the CDU’s parliamentary group in the Bundestag, has defended the Pension Security Commission’s proposal to abolish the retirement age of 63, despite criticism from within his own party. In an interview with the newspaper “Bild”, Frei stated, “Regarding the retirement age of 63, I believe the suggestion made by the Pension Security Commission is a truly wise proposal. It is also one that is fair in the sense of generational justice.”
He argued that favoring only a small segment of the population “at the expense of the younger generation” is unacceptable, insisting that the change recommended by the commission is “entirely correct.” Looking at the commission’s recommendation catalog, Frei added: “We have agreed within the coalition that we want to implement this comprehensive work of art in its fundamental principles. I personally fully support this.”
This stance comes despite earlier opposition from regional CDU political leaders, specifically Michael Kretschmer, the Prime Minister of Saxony, Sven Schulze, the head of the government of Saxony-Anhalt, and Mario Voigt, the Minister-President of Thuringia. These politicians openly rejected the commission’s recommendation. In a letter to the federal government, they defended the age 63, stating the fundamental principle that “anyone who has paid in for 45 years has contributed enough,” a principle they refuse to abandon.
