In France, the strikes and
16 Debates
16 Debates
In France, the strikes and
After months of negotiations, the Spanish government has finalised its plans for a pension reform aimed at cushioning the impact of the wave of baby boomers who are set to retire. State subsidies are to be raised and offset by increased contributions. The draft reform has yet to be negotiated with with employers and trade unions. Can this reform plug holes in the
In France, the string of nationwide strikes and demonstrations against the government's
Despite mass protests, France's government is sticking to its goal of overhauling the
Following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, Switzerland must reform its legislation on widow's pensions. Widows currently receive a lifelong survivor's pension under Swiss law. Widowers, on the other hand, are no longer entitled to receive the pension once their youngest child reaches adulthood. The ruling came after a Swiss widower filed a complaint against the legislation. Should men now get more money? Or women less?
The parliament in Tallinn is expected to approve a pension reform today, Wednesday: The so-called second pillar, the private pension back-up fund, is to be voluntary in future. Until now all employees had to pay two percent of their salary into savings accounts, with the state adding another four percent. Under the reform the money on these accounts can now be withdrawn. Estonia's press is highly critical.
Hundreds of thousands of people once again gathered across France on Thursday to protest the planned pension reform - the fourth mass protest in five weeks of
The dispute over the planned pension reform in France is escalating despite further concessions from the government. In the wake of massive protests Prime Minister Edouard Philippe presented a watered-down version of the controversial
The government in The Hague launched an initiative for reviving the negotiations on a pension reform, which have already gone on for eight years. The move came after pension funds threatened with cutbacks because they are running out of reserves. Commentators see the Netherlands' Polder model in which employers, trade unions and government representatives seek a consensus together as having reached its limits.
People are living longer and having fewer children - in almost all European countries this trend is putting pension funds under pressure. Governments and societies are having to deal with the fact that ever fewer young people are financing ever more older people. Commentators in different countries propose different approaches to the problem.
Croatia's Labour Minister Marko Pavić has proposed bringing the raise in the retirement age forward to 2031. Originally the planned increase from from 65 to 67 years of age was not to take place until 2038. Bringing the retirement age up to 67 has been stipulated by the European Commission. For some journalists the initiative is timely, but others worry about the fate of future pensioners.
The protest against the planned
In the wake of