- The Social and Health Commission of the National Council (SGK-N) has spoken out against the separate financing proposal for the 13th AHV pension planned by the Federal Council.
- Instead, the financing should only be determined as part of the next major AHV reform, as the parliamentary services announced.
- In addition, IV pensioners should also receive a “thirteenth” in the future.
With 13 votes to 12, the SGK-N spoke out against the separate financing proposal, as the parliamentary services announced. Instead, the financing should only be determined as part of the next major AHV reform. The commission passed a corresponding recommendation to the state government.
According to the statement, the majority insists on “a comprehensive and sophisticated approach” to ensure that the AHV and its financing can be secured for the next decade. The federal contribution to the AHV should not be reduced prematurely.
The Federal Council is currently working on a consultation proposal to finance the 13th AHV pension. What is certain is that the additional pension will be paid out from 2026. This will cost 4.2 billion francs in the year it is introduced. Five years later it will probably be around 5 billion francs, due to the growing number of retirees.
SP criticizes the Commission’s recommendation
The SP accuses the middle-class majority in the National Council Commission of refusing to implement the referendum with its decision. The party writes in a communiqué that the initiative must be implemented quickly because of the rising cost of living.
Now also 13th IV pension required
At the same meeting, the SGK-N decided on an initiative to introduce a 13th IV pension – with the intention of avoiding any discrimination in the first pillar, as it was said. In addition to AHV pensioners, IV recipients should also receive a “thirteenth”. This decision was made by 13 votes to 12.
As with AHV, the annual surcharge for IV should neither lead to a reduction in supplementary benefits nor to a loss of entitlement to these benefits, as can be seen from the initiative text. The financing of the additional IV pension must also be carried out analogously and in step with the implementation template for the adopted popular initiative for the 13th AHV pension.
Secure your existence with pensions
The approaches to old-age pensions and disability pensions are identical. In the past, the Federal Council and Parliament have always tried to develop the systems together. In both systems, pensions are intended to secure existence, as the Federal Constitution states.
According to a majority of the Commission, even people with disability pensions are far from this. There are even significantly more people in modest circumstances compared to the AHV. It is therefore logical that, in addition to old-age pensions, disability pensions would also be paid out 13 times. It is “about equal treatment and coherent and uniform development in the first pillar”.