The Minister of Health and Social Security, Martine Deprez, defended herself against the allegations from the workers’ unions OGBL and LCGB that the National Pension Insurance Office (CNAP) was not included in the discussions about the pension reform.
She admitted that the changes entailed a heavier workload for the administration of the pension fund, although not to the extent claimed by some. Everyone can still access the CNAP’s calculations on when they can retire, with the only difference being that from now on, the additional months and the progressive retirement will be included.
The Minister reassures that there will be detailed analyses on how the reform can be put into practice.
Although the CNAP was allowed to recruit more employees, the minister could not yet provide any specific numbers. The CNAP is ready to begin with the recruitment and has requested an increase in its workforce to the maximum capacity.
General questions about the pension reform can be asked on the website Schwätzmat, which will remain accessible to facilitate future discussions about the pension reform.
The CSV-DP government faced hefty criticism again about the handling of the pensions on Thursday in the Chamber. Martine Deprez acknowledges that, in hindsight, the government had taken unprecedented steps to consult with citizens for over a year about the future functioning of the pension system, offering everyone an opportunity to contribute to the discussions. Nonetheless, a decision had to be taken at some point. Martine Deprez explains that the outcome contains four new measures that create a four-year window, starting on 1st January 2026, to rethink the system.
The Minister of Social Security wants to charge the General Inspectorate of Social Security with regrouping the proposals from all relevant actors. Specific attention is paid to include young people in this process, as they had previously voiced their discontent with the current pension reform, since it does not propose any long-term solutions.
Martine Deprez follows negotiations between the National Health Fund (CNS) and the Association of Doctors and Dentists (AMMD), which started earlier this week, with cautious optimism in her role as Minister of Health, assuming that all stakeholders can have constructive discussions. Moreover, the CSV Minister of Health plans to hold a meeting with general practitioners in the Ministry by the end of January at the latest, though she expects the AMMD to meet among themselves before that as well.
Listen to the full discussion in Luxembourgish:
Watch the full episode in Luxembourgish on RTL Play
