Criticizes Rich-for-Retirement Plan: Saleh's Opinion Expressed
In the ongoing debate about extending the retirement age in Germany, Berlin SPD faction chairman Raed Saleh has voiced his opposition to proposals suggesting an extension beyond the planned increase from 65 to 67 by 2031, potentially reaching 68 by 2050 and 69 by 2070.
The latest proposals, advocated by economist Martin Werding and Federal Minister of Economics Katharina Reiche, are based on demographic changes and increased life expectancy. The key argument in favour is that longer working lives are necessary to sustain the pension system amid fewer children and longer retirements.
However, Saleh aligns with SPD Labor Minister Bärbel Bas in rejecting these proposals. Bas calls the debate about extending professional life a "false debate," emphasizing that many workers cannot even reach the current retirement age due to health issues. She stresses the importance of allowing people who have contributed for 45 years the option to retire early, arguing against abolishing early retirement rights. Bas accuses proponents of raising the retirement age of being out of touch with the realities faced by workers and warns that such reforms might reduce pensions for many.
Saleh's criticism is rooted in personal experience. His father, who worked in a bakery, died at the age of 66. Saleh uses his father's favorite song, "With 66 years, that's when life begins" by Udo Jürgens, as a poignant contrast to the proposed extension of working life. The song serves as a reminder of the physical toll that work can take, especially in certain industries.
Reiche, on the other hand, argues that the demographic change and the further increasing life expectancy make it inevitable: The working life must be extended. She suggests that "We must work more and longer." This stance, however, has faced criticism within parts of the CDU, reflecting intra-coalition tensions.
In the coalition agreement between Union and SPD at the federal level, voluntary incentives were agreed upon for people who want to work longer. Saleh insists that any proposals for a longer working life should be based on voluntariness, finding the current discussion disrespectful towards the hard-working population in Germany.
Saleh's remarks had sparked a debate a few days ago. His criticism, coupled with Bas's rejection of the proposals, highlights a fundamental divide: economists and some conservatives push for a gradual and formula-based extension of working life to protect the pension system, while SPD representatives like Raed Saleh and Minister Bas emphasize the social and health realities of workers, opposing any forced increase in retirement age that undermines early retirement rights and risks pension cuts.
- The debate surrounding the extension of the retirement age in Germany extends beyond economic arguments, delving into the realm of health-and-wellness and workplace-wellness, with SPD representatives like Raed Saleh arguing that physical tolls from work, particularly in certain industries, should be considered.
- In the context of policy-and-legislation discussions, politics plays a significant role in determining proposed retirement age extensions, such as the one advocated by economist Martin Werding and Federal Minister of Economics Katharina Reiche, which has sparked a divide between economists and SPD representatives, like Raed Saleh and Labor Minister Bärbel Bas.
- General news reports suggest that the latest proposals for extending the retirement age, based on demographic changes and increased life expectancy, have garnered criticism from within SPD and the CDU, highlighting the importance of balanced health-and-wellness and pension policies to ensure fairness and voluntariness for the working population.
