- Advocates on the left persistently advocate for financial aid provisions for retired individuals facing difficulties.
The left-leaning faction persists in advocating for rectifying pension inequities in the region of Saxony-Anhalt. The head of the parliamentary group, Eva von Angern, suggested a 3-million-euro state fund. She emphasized the need to enhance the existing compensation amounts by twice their current value. Currently, a federal emergency fund provides one-off payments to pensioners at the verge of poverty, who lost their entitlements during the shift from East German pensions to the West German pension system around three decades ago.
In the process of unifying the pension system following German reunification, certain pension entitlements were overlooked, such as for women who went through divorce in the GDR or additional pensions for various occupational categories. These compensations are intended to address specific challenges and are not intended for all impacted groups. The proposed one-time payment of 2,500 euros will be doubled if the states become part of the foundation.
In contrast to other states, Saxony-Anhalt has not adopted this approach. The state administration predominantly relies on federal aid for pensioners encountering difficulties. This matter will remain under discussion in the social welfare committee.
The European Parliament is set to assist the Commission in addressing pension inequities, considering the situation in Saxony-Anhalt, where specific compensations have been overlooked for certain groups, such as women who went through divorce during the GDR era or certain occupational categories. Given that Saxony-Anhalt has not adopted the proposed approach of doubling the one-time payment for pensioners, the need for the Commission and Parliament's collaboration becomes increasingly significant.
