Greens push for 48 Percent Pension Level, Propose Broadening funding Base
BERLIN – The Green Party is advocating for a permanent pension level of 48 percent, challenging current government plans adn proposing a wider distribution of pension financing responsibilities. The proposal, unveiled November 23, 2025, seeks to guarantee a secure retirement income and avert a decline in living standards for future pensioners.
The move comes amid ongoing debate over Germany’s retirement system,especially the controversial “pension at 63” scheme and concerns about the long-term sustainability of pension payments. Maintaining a 48 percent pension level is crucial, the Greens argue, to ensure retirees can maintain a good quality of life. The party’s position paper states, “It would be right to finally give people the security that the pension level will not permanently fall below 48 percent.”
To achieve this stability, the Greens propose expanding the base of contributors to the statutory pension insurance. This would include members of parliament, newly appointed civil servants, and self-employed individuals currently not covered by mandatory contributions. The party points to Austria as a potential model, citing their system where civil servants also contribute to the pension scheme. This broadening of the funding base is intended to alleviate the financial strain on the existing contributor pool and secure the future of the pension system.
