Retirees Receive Less Compared to Working People

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2025 December 22 . 10:17 AM

1 min read

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Retirees Receive Less Compared to Working People - Retirees Receive Less Compared to Working People

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is pushing for all Bundestag members to pay mandatory pension contributions. The party’s founder, Sahra Wagenknecht, argues that retirees are falling behind financially compared to working-age people. New figures show the income gap between the two groups has grown sharply in recent years.

In 2024, retirees earned an average net income of €26,723, while working-age individuals took home €37,243. This €10,520 difference marks a steady increase from €9,638 in 2023 and €8,551 in 2022. The figures do not factor in inflation, which has driven up living costs over the same period.

Wagenknecht claims pensioners have seen their prosperity shrink, leaving them with less disposable income than the wider population. The BSW now wants Bundestag members to contribute to the state pension system, mirroring a 2023 proposal by SPD leader Bärbel Bas. At the time, Bas—then a newly appointed party chair and former labour minister—suggested mandatory contributions for all MPs. The widening income gap has become a key issue, with pension increases failing to close the divide. Critics argue that without reform, retirees will continue to lose financial ground against younger generations.

The BSW’s demand follows years of rising inequality between retirees and workers. If adopted, the policy would require all Bundestag members to pay into the pension system. The debate comes as inflation and stagnant pension growth deepen the financial strain on older Germans.