45 years of work... and this is retirement
Many retirees in Germany dream of a comfortable retirement and a sufficient monthly income, but the reality seems different for most of them. Data obtained by "Die Linke" from the Ministry of Social Affairs revealed that someone who works for 45 years with an average income receives a monthly pension of only 1500 euros.
Parliamentary representative "Sourin Beilman" submitted an official request in 2024 to inquire about the pension value after 45 years of contributing to the pension fund with an average income, and it was found that this long period of work leads to a pension salary that may not be sufficient to cover basic expenses.
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, a person who starts their retirement on January 1, 2024, and has contributed for 45 years with an income equivalent to the average annual income of 45,358 euros, currently receives 1,500 euros per month. Those seeking a pension of 1,250 euros must contribute for 37 years and 8 months. To receive an amount equivalent to the average social assistance benefit, which is about 938 euros, 28 years and 3 months of contributions are sufficient.
Although these calculations are based on a theoretical model, they reflect a bitter reality: few people in Germany consistently earn an income that matches the average throughout their working lives, and thus their retirement is often much lower than expected.
Current data from the pension fund indicates what previous government reports have clarified: millions of citizens who have contributed for decades to the pension system will receive modest pensions, sometimes below the minimum required to live with dignity.
MP "Sorin Beilman" strongly criticized the policies led by the SPD, Grüne, Union, and FDP parties, pointing out that the German pension system suffers from a significant imbalance due to these policies. He stated: "After all these years of work and contributions, the result does not match the effort." He added that many women are particularly harmed, as they are forced to take long breaks from work to care for children or the elderly, which reduces the number of contribution years and thus the value of the pension.
"Die Linke" demanded an exceptional increase of 10% in all pensions and called for the inclusion of all workers, including government employees and politicians, in the public pension system. It also proposed that a minimum pension be set at no less than 1250 euros per month after tax deductions for individuals living alone.
On the other hand, the figures show a clear gap between the pensions of women and men, as data from the "Statistisches Bundesamt" indicates that women over 65 received an annual income of 18,663 euros in 2023, while men received 25,599 euros, indicating a gap of 27.1%.
This gap is attributed to several reasons, the most important of which is that women often work in low-paying sectors, hold part-time jobs, take breaks from work to care for the family, and are rarely in leadership positions.
To overcome this gap, women are advised to focus on early retirement planning and take effective steps to ensure a stable income in old age.