A media report that the German government intends to raise the retirement age from 67 to 70 has drawn heavy criticism. According to the Bild tabloid, the age would increase to 68 in the 2040s, 69 in the 2050s, and finally 70 in the 2060s, with a slight reduction in pension payments to keep the system sustainable.

Opposition parties, unions, and even the workers' rights wing of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's own center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) strongly criticized the alleged proposal, calling it unfair to older generations.

However, a spokesman for Merz's office later dismissed the Bild report as speculation. The junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), which controls the Labor Ministry, declined to comment on unsubstantiated reports.

Germany has long debated pension reform due to a stagnating birthrate. Experts warn that without immigration, the pension system could collapse.

Source: www.dw.com