Wählerschreck: 09/06/21
- racheljherring
- Jun 30, 2021
- 2 min read
This caricature refreshingly addresses a topic which has not yet been discussed on this blog: pensions and retirement. The retirement age in Germany is currently 67, but like England, the country faces an ageing population which poses challenges to the financing of pensions in the coming years. Federal economic advisors have recently put forward the solution of raising the retirement age to 68, but this has been met with criticism from many camps. The title of the caricature, 'A nasty shock for the electorate', indicates the unpopularity of the suggestion on the part of the general public. The image shows Peter Altmaier, Minister for Economy and Energy, running after the policy 'Retirement at 68?', depicted as a runaway dog terrorising a frightened voter. Altmaier, who no longer has control over the dog, is attempting to reassure the passer-by: 'He just wants to play!'
Altmaier himself has rejected the idea, as have several other political parties and trade unions. Many feel that those approaching retirement age should not be burdened with further uncertainty. On the other hand, a solution needs to be found and raising the retirement age is not yet off the table. Businessman and Arbeitsgeberpräsident Rainer Dulger emphasised that the country has to avoid a situation in which there are more pension recipients than contributors, saying: 'The discussion needs to be had, and it needs to be had honestly.' However, some are still hopeful that this critical stage will never be reached, particularly as immigration to Germany in recent years has boosted the younger, working population.
Although domestic issues such as retirement and pensions have been somewhat overshadowed in mainstream political debate in the past few months, they may still prove decisive in the upcoming election. It will certainly be interesting to see how these themes are treated in the campaigns, and how voters respond to them in the context of the pandemic.
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