Overview
- The Alterssicherungskommission published 33 recommendations on 23 June 2026 and proposed abolishing the abschlagsfreie (no‑penalty) pension for those with 45 contributory years.
- The commission also advised raising the regular retirement age beyond 67 from 2032 for cohorts born 1965 and later and increasing the earliest access for the 35‑year rule from 63 to 64.
- The coalition committee announced on 2 July 2026 it intends to legislate the full package in 2026, but no legal changes have taken effect and current law still applies for people who meet today’s requirements.
- Abolishing the 45‑year route is estimated to save about €430 million per pension cohort each year while proposed expansions of Grundsicherung pension exemptions could cost hundreds of millions, depending on the model.
- Roughly 2.66 million people held the 45‑year pension at end‑2024 and about 250,000–280,000 new retirees a year used that route since 2020, which is why unions, welfare groups and some politicians demand multi‑year transition windows and concrete hardship rules.