Overview

• Official microcensus data show roughly one third of the 2024 labor force will hit the statutory retirement age of 67 within 15 years.
• Younger age groups are numerically smaller than the Babyboomer cohorts, with 10.0 million people aged 55–64 in the workforce versus 9.8 million aged 35–44, 9.3 million aged 45–54 and 9.0 million aged 25–34.
• Between 1957 and 1968 about 15.3 million children were born, including a peak of 1.36 million in 1964, underscoring the scale of the cohorts now nearing retirement.
• Older-worker employment has risen from about 65% of 55–64-year-olds in 2014 to 75% in 2024, yet many still retire early due to health issues, legal provisions or company offers.
• Policy debate has intensified as DIW chief Marcel Fratzscher promotes a “Boomer-Soli” and a compulsory social year for retirees, proposals criticized by unions and social associations as unfair or divisive.