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Rhineland-Palatinate Minister-President Dreyer (archive image): "People who have mostly been working since they were 14 years old."
Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
Rhineland-Palatinate's Prime Minister Malu Dreyer has criticized the demands of CDU parliamentary group deputy Jens Spahn for the abolition of pensions at 63 as "unjust and ruthless." It's about people who have worked for 45 years and paid into the pension fund," said the SPD politician of the German Press Agency in Mainz on Whit Monday. People who have mostly been working since they were 14 years old.«
Dreyer emphasized: "Mr. Spahn may not even be able to imagine that. It's about roofers, salespeople, nurses, workers who have worked hard all their working lives and contributed a lot to the prosperity of our country." For her, it is a sign of respect that these people can retire without deductions. Dreyer continued: "That's why I find it inconsiderate that Mr. Spahn wants to refer those who can no longer do so after a long working life at 63 to the disability pension." Demographic change will be taken into account by gradually raising the retirement age for the non-deductible pension for particularly long-term insured persons.
Spahn had told the "Bild am Sonntag": "Retiring at 63 costs prosperity, burdens future generations and sets the wrong incentives. It should be abolished immediately and replaced by a better disability pension." Two million skilled workers who had retired earlier were now "sorely lacking". The SPD, the Greens and the Left immediately met with opposition to the demand.
The regulation was introduced in 2014 by the then black-red federal government and is aimed at insured persons who have paid contributions for at least 45 years. Those born before 1953 could retire at 63 without any deductions. For younger people born before 1963, this age limit increases gradually. From the year of birth 1964 onwards, it is then again at 65 years, as it says in general information from the German Pension Insurance.
mik/dpa-AFX