The fact that the chair of the Old Age Security Commission, Christine Mayrhuber, called for an increase in the retirement age to the “Standard” was met with incomprehension by the FPÖ, SPÖ, the SPÖ-affiliated pensioners’ association, the Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) and the Chamber of Labour (AK) on Thursday. The Greens saw room for the effective starting age. NEOS and Junge Industrie, on the other hand, spoke out in favour of a pension reform.
FPÖ social spokesperson Dagmar Belakowitsch saw Mayrhuber’s initiative as a mandate from the ÖVP. According to Belakowitsch, this is intended to encourage older people to “scoop up the soup for the total failure of the government”. The discussion about a higher retirement age must come to an end. The SPÖ also reacted with a negative and campaign tone: only they could prevent an increase in the statutory retirement age. According to SPÖ federal manager Klaus Seltenheim, the ÖVP and FPÖ are not credible in this area and are responsible for the “biggest pension cuts in the history of the Second Republic”.
Companies must adapt working conditions
According to the Greens, there is potential in the effective retirement age, which is currently 63.4 years for men and 60.8 years for women. Companies must take responsibility and adapt working conditions. However, raising the statutory retirement age is also not up for discussion with the Greens.
According to the pensioners’ association, all senior citizens’ organisations are against an increase, which is why President Peter Kostelka called for clarification from the government. He referred to reports and forecasts from the Old Age Security Commission and the EU Ageing Report, which predict a stable situation. In addition, the number of compulsory insurance and premiums have increased. The ÖGB joined the criticism of a possible increase, which according to pension expert Dinah Djalinous-Glatz was neither necessary nor sensible. She also referred to the EU’s ageing report, which states that pension cuts or an increase in the retirement age are not absolutely necessary.
The Chamber of Labor saw an increase in the retirement age as a reduction in pensions. As long as the preconditions for this have not been created, an increase makes no sense, says Wolfgang Panhölzl, head of the AK Social Insurance. What is important is not the legal age, but the actual age.
NEOS demand more intergenerational equality
The NEOS, on the other hand, supported the chairman of the Old Age Security Commission. The Young NEOS called for more equality between generations, which could only be achieved with pension reforms. Social spokesman Gerald Loacker of NEOS referred to experts who call for reforms in the pension system. That pensions are safe is a fairy tale of the other parties. If we do nothing now, the Austrian pension system will become unfinanceable.
The Young Industry Entrepreneur Network also saw the initiative as an “important step in the right direction”. There should also be discussion about abolishing the automatic pension increase, which Mayrhuber also spoke about in the “Standaard”.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
