The fight against poverty in old age : Union rejects plans of salvation for the basic pension

Up to four million people in Germany share this fate: Despite a life full of hard work, you can't live in the age of their pension – because they have earned over the years, to little. To change the Minister of labour, Hubertus Heil (SPD).

He wants to low-wage earners much more pension than previously, a so-called basic pension. "Someone who has worked for decades hard to get the right significantly more than someone who has not worked," said salvation at the weekend, the "Bild am Sonntag" (BamS). "This is a question of respect for life performance."

The social Democrat, returns to the traditional clientele of his party: the working population. That healing, of all things, now and then even the masses in the BamS Interview his plans to introduce, is no coincidence. As SPD Minister of labour he is under a special obligation to raise the social democratic profile of his party. The ailing SPD can make use of the well. The Comrades do not come from the survey of deep, frustration and Resignation the once-proud party. His pension is to demonstrate the promise of salvation, a way out of the misery.

Three to four million people could benefit

In fact, his pension is good concept to let the social-democratic heart beat faster. If healing with his plans, might be retired from 1. January 2021 up to 447 euros more per month on the account. Three to four million people would benefit.

salvation here, in front of all the women in the view. A single mother of two children, has worked part-time as a nurse, get currently 860 Euro bond, said the salvation of the "BamS". According to the SPD-man, then the woman comes in the future, "with the basic pension of 1000 euros".

A Review of the need not to give it. Anyone who has paid 35 years in the pension Fund, should automatically be entitled to the basic pension. Also, child-rearing or the care of relatives should be taken into account. Funding the basic pension out of taxes. Healing expects a "mid single-digit billion amount" per year.

The plans of Hubertus Heil delight the heart of many social Democrats.Photo: John MacDougall/AFP

The initiative of the Minister of Labour adapts to the current efforts of the party leadership, the SPD back to its roots as a strong social democratic force. Hubertus Heil presented his ideas a few days before the SPD leadership comes together on the weekend to a retreat. In the case of the two-day summit meeting in the Willy-Brandt-house is not less than the "renewal" of social democracy, the programmatic and organizational realignment of the SPD. A few months before the European elections and the state election in Bremen, the Comrades hope for a return to their old strength.

Schwesig makes advertising for the concept

the focus of the Board exam to be state of the social. Above all, the Trauma the topic of Hartz IV want to leave the Comrades behind. Party leader Andrea Nahles has already promised to replace Hartz IV, and especially from the left wing a lot of praise. At the retreat at the weekend, the SPD wants to talk now about how the welfare state could look like in 25 years, it is said in the Willy-Brandt-Haus.

This includes salvation, pension concept fits. Advertising for this weekend already, Manuela Schwesig, Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Deputy SPD Chairman. It is not that "many people no longer need to do as a basic security," she said to the daily mirror. "Without a pension, many will plunge into poverty in old age."

As healing and Schwesig, many of the top stress enjoyed currently, the SPD wants to put the "life of people" at the centre of its social policy. Not least of all, the message is aimed at former citizens of the GDR with "broken biographies". This is no coincidence: In Saxony, Brandenburg and Thuringia, the new country will be chosen in the autumn days.

criticism also comes from the employers

With his call for a basic pension of salvation is deliberately on a collision course with the Union. From the coalition agreement, his plans are not covered. There is talk only of a "basic pension of ten percent of the basic backup". Salvation plans are also an indirect distancing from its own coalition partners. Therefore, the Union has rejected the pension plans of the Minister of Labour already. "With the watering can" wool healing distribute the money, criticized the CDU-social expert Peter White. The increase in the pension payments should be directed rather to the "actual needs" of the Affected. Union group Vice-Hermann Gröhe (CDU), demanded: "what We need now is a quick understanding of how the coalition should the contract be implemented."

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criticism of salvation ideas also came from the employers. Steffen Kampeter, the chief Executive of the Confederation of German employers ' associations, spoke of a "pension policy "accident"". However, Green warned-group chief Katrin Göring-Eckhart: "salvation concept is then more than a air, if it is solidly financed."