Overview
- Labor Minister Bärbel Bas said she finds linking retirement to contribution years "fundamentally good" and plans to bring the idea to the forthcoming commission.
- The concept, promoted by economist Jens Südekum, would generally let those who start work earlier retire sooner, while late starters such as many university graduates would work longer.
- Employer group BDA rejected the proposal as a rebadged "Rente mit 63" and criticized Bas for calling for a fundamental overhaul days after the Bundestag passed a pension package still awaiting Bundesrat approval.
- CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann called the approach worth discussing, CSU leader Markus Söder voiced sympathy for tying retirement to life’s work span, and the AfD backed more flexibility without extending beyond 67, while the Greens pressed for a comprehensive plan rather than piecemeal debates.
- DIW president Marcel Fratzscher warned the model could deepen inequalities and disadvantage women and unpaid caregivers, and Die Linke labeled it divisive, arguing it risks pushing many toward retirement near 70.