The debate over the pension at 63 is intensifying. After several CDU minister-presidents demanded corrections to the planned reform, the new leader of the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag pushed back. Speaking to WELT TV, Frei stressed that the commission had done good work with its combined expertise – politicians should not think they know better than the experts.
Frei warned against picking individual elements out of the package of 33 proposals. That could jeopardize the entire project. However, he hopes to win over critical state leaders once the draft bill is presented. Even if one feels uneasy about individual points, every responsible politician must ultimately take an overall view.
Saarland’s Anke Rehlinger (SPD) spoke on ZDF of a “great injustice” if the pension at 63 were abolished. She demands a fair solution for all those who have worked for a very long time. The deputy head of the pension commission, Pascal Reddig (CDU), argues similarly: the deduction-free early retirement after 45 years of contributions costs the solidarity community a double-digit billion amount annually and misses its goal.
FDP Secretary-General Martin Hagen accused the federal government of “pension chaos.” If the debate is reduced to a horse trade – pension at 63 against mini-job adjustments – that is a disgrace. The East German minister-presidents Sven Schulze, Michael Kretschmer, and Mario Voigt had previously questioned the abolition.
Source: www.welt.de
