Within the SPD parliamentary group, there is pushback against a new adjustment of the pension system that would work against the statutory pension. “The statutory pension will remain the cornerstone. It is reliable, stable, and has carried us through many crises” said SPD social‑policy spokesman Bernd Rützel to the “Rheinische Post”.
Rützel, a member of the Bundestag’s Social Affairs Committee, added that most people rely solely on the statutory pension. “Only a minority in our country can actually set aside wealth for retirement security” he said. “The SPD’s goal is to ensure that people have a decent livelihood after a long working life, not to provide profit for insurance and investment companies”.
The pension reform commission is expected to present its proposals mid‑year. “Then a decision has to be made about what is politically feasible. For me, there will definitely be no higher retirement age – many people simply can’t manage that. It would be a cut in their pension” the SPD MP stated.
At the start of the week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) announced a “paradigm shift” and a “re‑adjustment” of pension policy. He said that occupational and private retirement plans should play a stronger role going forward.