Berlin, August 8 – A significant majority of Germans are against the abolition of the ‘Pension at 63’ scheme, as revealed by a recent survey conducted by the Insa opinion research institute for ‘Bild am Sonntag’. The survey indicates that 68% of respondents oppose ending the pension without deductions after 45 years of contributions, with only 24% in favor. 8% of those surveyed did not provide an answer.
Personal Relevance and Public Dissatisfaction
The survey also highlights the personal relevance of the early retirement regulation for many. 56% of respondents stated that they either plan to use the ‘Pension at 63’ themselves or have already done so, while 32% denied this. 12% did not provide an answer.
The abolition of the ‘Pension at 63’ – which is currently only available at 64.5 years of age – is part of a comprehensive overall concept by a pension commission that the leaders of the black-red coalition intend to implement one-to-one. Furthermore, skepticism prevails regarding planned social security contributions for mini-jobs. 61% of respondents are against introducing social security contributions for mini-jobs in the future, while 30% are in favor, and 9% did not express an opinion. Overall, 77% of respondents are dissatisfied with the federal government’s pension policy, with only 16% expressing satisfaction.
The Insa opinion research institute surveyed 1,005 representatively selected individuals on August 6 and 7, 2026, for ‘Bild am Sonntag’.
Trade Union Representatives Oppose Abolition of ‘Pension at 63’
Trade union representatives have called on the federal government to abandon its plan to phase out the ‘Pension at 63’. Frank Werneke, CEO of Verdi, told ‘Bild am Sonntag’: “Fortunately, more and more state premiers are recognizing that the federal government’s pension commission proposal to abolish the pension without deductions after 45 years of insurance is wrong.”
Werneke emphasized that the planned abolition of the pension for those with many years of insurance disregards the life’s work of the affected individuals. Christiane Benner, federal chairwoman of IG Metall, described the pension without deductions after 45 years of contributions as fair. She added that those who doubt this could “take a look at the blast furnace, the shipyard, or the assembly line with a shift worker. Then they will surely understand.”
Anja Piel, DGB board member, stated: “People who started their training early and worked for almost half a century should not be squeezed like a lemon at the end of their working lives, but are entitled to a good pension without deductions.” According to Robert Feiger, head of the IG Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt industrial union, anyone who has toiled and paid contributions for 45 years deserves to retire without deductions – “there is no shaking that.”
CDU: Pension Package is Not a ‘Buffet’
In contrast, Gitta Connemann (CDU), head of the Union’s Mittelstand, made it clear that the Union intends to stick to the plan. “The pension package is not a buffet. You cannot just take what you like. The compromise has been hard-won. Anyone who dissects it now will end up with no reform at all. That harms all generations,” she told the newspaper.
