Heidi Reichinnek, the chair of The Left’s parliamentary group in the Bundestag, has called for doubling the contribution‑assessment ceiling of Germany’s statutory pension insurance. In an interview with the NTV program “Blume und Pfeffer” on Monday, she said, “We need to finally turn our pension system upside down”. She added that a system is required in which all employees-salaried workers, civil servants, self‑employed people, and even parliamentarians-contribute, and that the ceiling must be doubled.
Reichinnek pointed out the absurdity of a nurse paying contributions on every euro earned while a clinic CEO’s income is exempt. The current ceiling stands at €8,450 per month (or €101,400 per year). By raising the cap, the Left aims to hold high‑earning individuals more accountable.
She also warned that one in five retirees in Germany faces the threat of poverty. Despite decades of paid work, childrearing and caregiving, she argues that a wealthy country such as Germany fails to provide a dignified retirement for all. “Increasing numbers of 70‑year‑olds still walk into supermarkets to hand over their wallet, collect bottle deposits, or rely on the food bank” she said.
Reichinnek sharply criticised the government’s emphasis on private retirement plans and stock‑market models. She noted that when people are told to save privately, it is ignored that at least one in four citizens ends the month with no money left to invest in expensive and risky private pension schemes. Instead, she asserted, a robust statutory pension system is essential so that every person can live comfortably in old age.