A prominent advocate for social welfare has sharply criticized recent calls for extending working lives in Germany, arguing that such proposals lack innovation and offer only superficial solutions. Verena Bentele, President of the social welfare association VdK, dismissed the stance of Economics Minister Katarina Reiche, who suggested longer working lives are “unavoidable” for German workers.
Bentele, in statements provided to the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, questioned the repeated calls for raising the retirement age, asserting they represent “little creativity and are not future-proof”. She stressed the need for genuine reform, moving beyond what she characterized as political rhetoric.
Instead of simply extending working lives, Bentele proposed a more equitable approach: the introduction of mandatory pension contributions for all working individuals. This would encompass politicians, civil servants and government officials, signifying a commitment to solidarity across all sectors of society.
Bentele emphasized that such concrete actions would strengthen the pension system, contrasting them with speculative debates that contribute to public distrust and potentially benefit radical political fringe groups. She argued that impactful reform requires addressing systemic inequalities rather than relying solely on extending the years individuals remain in the workforce.
