Die aktuellen Grundrentenpläne der Großen Koalition: Es geht um den Systemwechsel

The governing parties have recently agreed on a compromise to introduce a basic pension (“Grundrente”) in Germany. This is accompanied by changes in the social assistance to old-age people with low incomes (“Grundsicherung im Alter”). However, both reforms must regarded in common: While the increase in the social assistance for pensioners with low incomes under certain conditions leads to an improvement in their income situation, this is not the case for the basic pension. Instead, the basic pension does only favor people who are not considered to be in need at all. In addition, the reforms decided upon do not reach those persons who are most likely to be affected by old-age poverty (due of their individual employment biographies) because of the excessive eligibility requirements. The Coalition's basic pension plans should therefore not be implemented because they must be considered ineffective and incompatible with the principles of the German pension insurance system.