On Wednesday, MPs in the Chamber will continue discussing the pending pension reform. Employer representatives and trade unions have previously failed to agree on how to proceed: employers want to reduce expenditure and consequently benefits, whereas unions do not see an urgent need for action and, in the event of reform, want measures to increase revenue and pensions.
It is against this backdrop that MPs will take part this Wednesday in a consultation debate organised by Health Minister Martine Deprez of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV).
Three weeks ago, the General Inspectorate of Social Security (IGSS) presented updated projections to the social security commission. According to its latest calculations, contributions will fall below current expenditure from 2026, before the pension reserve falls below the legal threshold of one and a half years from 2039, and is exhausted in 2045.
Changes to the pension reserve threshold raise questions as to whether or not pensions will continue to be fully adjusted to changes in real wages.
With the exception of The Left (Déi Lénk), other parties have not yet announced their position; however, the youth wings of the main parties adopted a joint position at the beginning of the month. In particular, the youth wings are in favour of greater harmonisation between the pensions of civil servants and those of private employees.
Furthermore, they wish for study years to continue being recognised as years of contribution, for the statutory retirement age to remain 65, and for the average pension to be adjusted to the reference budget for senior citizens.
