The chair of the Expert Council on Economic Affairs (SVR), Monika Schnitzer, has voiced support for a proposed special levy targeting wealthier pensioners.
Speaking to newspapers of the Funke-Mediengruppe, Schnitzer emphasized the validity of the underlying principle. She stated that the burden of pension obligations associated with the baby boomer generation cannot solely rest on the shoulders of a progressively smaller number of younger contributors. She argued that the generation itself must contribute to the solution.
The concept of redistributing resources between pensioners was initially proposed two years ago within the SVR’s pension report. Schnitzer noted that the proposal by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) to implement a “boomer solidarity contribution” is more extensive than the SVR’s original suggestion.
She highlighted the impact of rising life expectancy and the demographic challenges stemming from consistently low birth rates since the 1970s, contributing to the need for adjustments to the current system.
