More than 1.3 million pensioners are working
Even after retirement, many people continue to work. The Left party finds this situation "unbearable". The federal government, however, points to a statistic showing that there are other reasons for working in old age besides financial necessity.
More than 1.3 million of the 18.6 million retirees in Germany are still working. This is according to an answer from the federal government to a question from the Left party in the Bundestag, using statistics from the German pension insurance. As of December 31, 2022, the majority (1 million) of those who were still earning additional income on top of their pension were working part-time jobs. Around 300,000 retirees were employed in low-wage jobs.
Left party MP Matthias W. Birkwald called it "unbearable that pensions in Germany are on average so low that many retirees have to continue working".
However, in response to a similar question from the AfD in July, the federal government also cited a report from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). According to this report, enjoyment of work, finding meaning, and social contact are important motivations for working in old age. Financial reasons are mentioned much less often.
In 2022, retirees in Germany received an average of around 1400 euros in pension payments, according to the German pension insurance. The amount varies individually and depends on income during working life and contributions to the pension fund.
The Left party strongly disagrees with the high number of retired individuals working due to financial necessity, as stated by MP Matthias W. Birkwald, finding it "unbearable that pensions in Germany are so low." Despite this, many retirees on the left side of Germany are still employed, with the majority working part-time and around 300,000 in low-wage jobs.
