Survivor Pension Cuts Abolished: New Regulations to be Voted on in Parliament - The 5 Major Changes

Greece is poised to abolish a controversial three-year limit on survivor pensions, a move that will allow for permanent payments and rectify what the government calls "distortions" caused by a 2016 law. The legislative provisions to end these cuts were submitted to Parliament for a vote on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.

Minister of Labor and Social Security Niki Kerameus stated that this reform addresses a "ten-year social injustice" affecting thousands of families. She explained that the new framework is "fair and socially sensitive," restoring the full main survivor pension amounts and eliminating past financial burdens. This change aims to provide security and stability for families who have lost a loved one, fostering trust between citizens and the state.

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We are abolishing a ten-year social injustice that has plagued thousands of families. We are introducing a new, fair, and socially sensitive framework, rectifying the distortions created by the Tsipras-Katrougalos law. Thousands of survivor pension beneficiaries are freed from a state of uncertainty and hostage-taking.

The reform is made possible by increased state revenue, attributed to the "bold implementation" of the Digital Labor Card and a rise in employment. These increased earnings have created the necessary fiscal space for this significant social intervention without disrupting the nation's financial stability.

Key changes include the permanent payment of main survivor pensions at their original entitlement rates. For those whose pensions were previously reduced from 70% to 35%, they will now see their pensions immediately double to 70%. Furthermore, the cuts will not be applied to over 75,000 survivor pensioners who had not yet experienced them under the previous law, and the state will waive any claims for retroactive payments. Approximately 122,000 pensioners will also be protected from a second national pension cut, ensuring they continue to receive both pensions if eligible from different insurance funds.

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The resolution of this long-standing issue was made possible by the overperformance achieved through the bold implementation of the Digital Labor Card and the increase in employment. The increased revenues contributed to creating the necessary fiscal space that allowed us to proceed with this important social intervention without disrupting fiscal stability.