Three SPD members of the Sochaux circle have proposed a gradual shift toward a capital‑funded component in Germany’s statutory pension system, according to Handelsblatt. The deputies-Philipp Rottwilm, Parsa Marvi, and Daniel Bettermann-suggest creating a “Bundesfonds Altersvorsorge” that could allocate up to five percent of its capital to start‑ups or European firms preparing for an IPO. They envision the fund as an optional product for both occupational and private pension plans, and later as an instrument for partially capital‑funded financing of the statutory pension.
The Bundestag approved a reform of private pension provision this Friday morning. The SPD plans to present a detailed reform proposal later that afternoon, building on the outline shared by party leader Lars Klingbeil in a keynote speech on Wednesday. The three deputies extend Klingbeil’s agenda by adding a start‑up strategy and calling for “research tax credits” to improve tax incentives for emerging companies.
They also argue that insurance companies and pension funds should be allowed to invest more readily in young enterprises and that the regulatory framework must be adapted accordingly. New tranches for private investors in umbrella funds would let individual investors participate more easily in growth companies. The SPD states that, if these measures are implemented, the WIN Initiative could reach €25 billion by 2030-up from the current target of €12 billion-to mobilize capital for start‑ups.