Hubertus Heil advocates for the preservation of retirement schemes
The federal minister of labor, Hubertus Heil, advocated for his retirement plans during the initial reading of Rentenpaket II in the Bundestag. Despite the numerous shifts and transformations over the years and decades, Heil asserted that the legal retirement provides "the primary safety net in retirement." He stated this during the parliamentary session on Friday. In his words, "It's precisely what it should continue to be in the future."
The government can't guarantee every aspect of life's security, the minister admitted. However, when it comes to "the major dilemmas of our era," it's politics' duty to ensure people's security - primarily security in retirement. Heil reiterated, "That's exactly what we're delivering with Rentenpaket II."
The legal retirement remains "the bedrock of retirement security in Germany." For most individuals here, it's the most significant, and for many, it's the sole form of retirement security - particularly in eastern Germany, Heil pointed out.
The labor minister cautioned against pitting the young against the old in the retirement discussion. "Yes, it's about the 21 million pensioners today, it's about respect for their lifetime contributions." They've "rightfully earned a decent retirement pension."
Despite the various changes and developments, the minister firmly believes that "the most important source of retirement security remains the legal retirement." Furthermore, Heil emphasizes that it's crucial to maintain this as "the primary safety net for the majority of individuals, and often the only form of retirement security, particularly in eastern Germany."
