"Pensions have been far too low for years.": The majority of female pensioners receive statutory pensions below the poverty line.
More than 60% of women who retired in Germany received statutory pensions below the poverty threshold in 2025, according to new government figures that have reignited concerns about growing old-age poverty.
The data, released in response to a parliamentary inquiry by Die Linke (The Left Party), shows that 60.9% of female pensioners received pensions below the official poverty threshold of €1,446 per month. Among men, the figure was significantly lower at 27.8%. The poverty threshold is defined as 60% of the country's median net equivalent income.
The figures also indicate that even a long working life does not always protect people from financial hardship in retirement. Among women who had contributed to Germany's statutory pension system for at least 45 years, 52.4% still received pensions below the poverty line. For men with the same contribution period, the share was 23.6%.
Government data shows that the average statutory pension for new male retirees in 2025 was €1,415 per month, while newly retired women received an average of just €1,039. Looking at all current pensioners, men received an average of €1,531 per month compared with €1,025 for women, although female pension payments are generally higher in eastern Germany than in the west.
Despite these figures, the actual number of elderly people living in poverty is lower because many retirees also receive occupational pensions, private pensions or share household income with a partner. According to Germany's Federal Ministry of Labour, 19.5% of people aged 65 and over were considered at risk of poverty in 2025, including 21.3% of women and 17.3% of men.
Die Linke (The Left Party) criticized the findings, arguing that Germany's pension system has left many older people financially vulnerable for years. Social policy spokesperson Sarah Vollath warned that planned pension reforms, including ending the penalty-free retirement option after 45 years of contributions, could worsen the situation and push even more retirees into poverty. The party is calling for a solidarity-based minimum pension to better protect older citizens from financial hardship.