Overview
- The Greens will vote against the Merz government’s pension package, with co-leader Felix Banaszak saying the plan wastes money and ignores structural problems.
- The Greens unveiled an alternative that keeps the 48% pension level permanently, phases the ‘Rente mit 63’ from 2030 to health-based cases, and brings new civil servants, MPs and many self‑employed into the statutory system.
- Parliamentary arithmetic is precarious as 18 younger Union lawmakers threaten to block the bill, leaving the coalition short for a December vote on a package slated to start on January 1.
- The government plan extends the 48% safeguard through 2031 and sets a higher post‑2031 baseline, expands the Mütterrente, creates a child ‘Frühstartrente’ savings depot, introduces an Aktivrente with €2,000 tax‑free monthly earnings, and strengthens company pensions and Riester.
- Young Union critics cite projected extra costs around €118–120 billion as a burden on younger generations, while DIW economist Marcel Fratzscher proposes a temporary flat supplement of about €50 per month for all pensioners until 2031.