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In the voting program on the higher retirement age for women, the opponents accuse the Federal Council of having already programmed the next step. The pro side with Interior Minister Alain Berset vehemently disagrees. It is also controversial how bad the AHV is.
“It is absolutely clear that a yes to the AHV 21 has a signal effect for the commoners to demand a further increase in the retirement age for everyone as a second step.” That said SP co-president Mattea Meyer in the “Arena”. The Federal Council also announced in its message that raising the retirement age above 65 for men and women was a legitimate measure to help finance the AHV.
SP Federal Councilor Alain Berset replied to his party colleague that there was a popular initiative by the Young Liberals that demanded a higher retirement age. However, the Federal Council rejected the initiative in its message. Berset clarified that the vote of September 25 was not about a general increase in the retirement age.
How urgent is the reform?
The Federal Social Insurance Office (BSV) assumes that the AHV will need financing of around CHF 18.5 billion over the next ten years. The AHV reform therefore envisages bringing the retirement age for women into line with that for men. In addition, an increase in VAT by 0.4 percentage points should bring additional income for the first pillar.
The question of the financial situation of the AHV was a subject of lively discussion in the “Arena”.
We have enough time to come up with a better template that doesn’t skimp on women and married couples.
The reform is necessary, said Federal Councilor Berset: “We know exactly what is coming: a very large generation that has worked all their lives and helped finance the AHV will retire in less than ten years.” The “most important pillar of old-age provision” must now be financially stabilized. The AHV reform takes into account the demographic development of society.
That was black painting, contradicted SP co-president Meyer. The assets of the AHV, at CHF 50 billion, have never been as high as they are today. “So we have enough time to present a better template that does not save on the hump of women and married couples, but secures pensions for everyone equally.”
The increase in the retirement age for women will bring the AHV seven billion francs by 2032. “That’s a price tag of 26,000 francs per woman,” says Meyer. She therefore speaks of a “dismantling template”.
There is no reason why women should work shorter hours than men.
“No one’s monthly pension will be reduced with this reform,” said FDP National Councilor Regine Sauter. Instead, flexibility would be introduced. For example, it is now possible to only draw part of your pension. Finally, Sauter made it clear: “There is no reason why women should work shorter hours than men. The draft provides for very fair compensation measures for the women who will retire in the next nine years.”
An act for equality?
Equality is not decided by the number 65, countered Natalie Imboden, National Councilor of the Greens. There is a high level of poverty in old age, which is mainly female. “A woman receives an average of 2764 francs per month in old age, all pillars together.” Every tenth woman needs supplementary benefits when she retires. This shows that the AHV is not a livelihood.
The reform worsens the situation of women, especially since only a small proportion of women benefit from the compensatory measures. “The best way would be equal pay, then we would have more wages in the AHV and would not have to increase the women’s retirement age,” says Imboden.
SVP National Councilor Diana Gutjahr reacted to the keyword “equal pay”. As an employer, she also sees the problem with the women themselves: “They don’t ask for the wages they actually earned.” Industry-specific problems in terms of wages would have to be solved in collective labor agreements. Instead of always just demanding equality, this should also be lived. “You could do that here by agreeing to the standard retirement age of 65,” says Gutjahr.
The voters have the final say on whether the retirement age for women should be raised on September 25. According to the second SRG survey, a majority is currently in favor of the AHV reform. However, approval has decreased significantly compared to the first survey.