East German leaders oppose planned pension reform changes

Brandenburg's SPD leader Dietmar Woidke has joined other East German state premiers in criticizing a proposed reform that would abolish pension benefits for individuals with 45 years of contributions.

Woidke stated that 45 years of work should be enough to qualify for a pension without deductions, emphasizing the importance of ensuring people can live on their retirement income. "Anyone who has worked their whole life must also be financially secure in old age," he said.

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45 years are a long working life. That must be enough for a pension without deductions.

The proposed change is a significant part of a pension reform plan. Woidke called for modifications to the proposal put forth by the pension commission.

He is not alone in his opposition. The CDU state premiers of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, Michael Kretschmer, Sven Schulze, and Mario Voigt, have also spoken out against ending the 45-year contribution rule. Manuela Schwesig, the SPD leader of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, previously expressed similar views in June. The model has been colloquially known as the "Rente mit 63" (pension at 63), though current regulations require individuals to work until age 64.5 to receive benefits after 45 years of contributions.

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Anyone who has worked their whole life must also be financially secure in old age.