Less than 1500 euros: The Left criticizes huge pension gaps


Less than 1500 euros
The left criticizes huge pension gaps

After a zero round in 2021, pensioners can expect an increase in their pensions again next year, according to the German Pension Insurance. But there is a big discrepancy between statutory pensions and civil servant pensions. The left is therefore calling for a reform based on the Austrian model.

According to a media report, 82 percent of statutory pensions are less than 1500 euros. In contrast, 95.1 percent of the pensions of federal officials are over 1500 euros, reports the editorial network Germany (RND), citing a response from the Federal Ministry of Labor to a request from the left.

“If 82 percent of all pensions are below 1500 euros, then there is a huge problem,” said the parliamentary group leader of the Left in the Bundestag, Dietmar Bartsch, the RND. In this way, confidence in the statutory pension is dwindling. “The gap to the civil service pensions shows a two-class society.” Bartsch called for a “major pension reform” along the lines of Austria. “All citizens pay in there, including civil servants, the self-employed and politicians.” The pensions in the neighboring country are on average 800 euros higher than in Germany, emphasized Bartsch.

In response to the request from the Left, the Federal Ministry of Labor pointed out that the statistics also include pensions that are very low due to short periods of employment, for example. In contrast, the principle of lifetime applies in the professional civil service; in addition, many civil servants have a university degree.

According to the assessment of the pension insurance, pensioners can expect a “decent” increase in their salaries in the coming year. “I assume that the lack of increase will be made up to a certain extent in the coming year and that the pensioners will get a decent plus in 2022,” said the President of the German Pension Insurance Association, Gundula Roßbach, the newspapers of the Funke media group.

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