(de-news.net) – Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) has affirmed that, despite the government’s recent adoption of the pension package, a far more comprehensive structural reform remains necessary. She argued that incremental adjustments would be insufficient, insisting instead on the establishment of an entirely new framework that could address the long-term challenges of the system. In her view, minor modifications would fail to secure sustainability, whereas a fundamental redesign was indispensable.

Bas pointed to Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Austria as examples of European nations that have already undertaken comparable reforms, suggesting that Germany should draw lessons from their experiences. She stressed that only a profound and ambitious transformation could achieve lasting success and implied that such a demanding project would likely fall to the country’s major political parties. The minister underlined the importance of constructing a pension structure capable of enduring across decades and serving multiple generations without constant revision.

She further remarked that the government must adopt a different approach in future initiatives than it had during the recent pension debate. According to Bas, coalition partners needed to cultivate the ability to coordinate decisions at a much earlier stage, thereby avoiding the delays and mistakes that had characterized previous discussions.

The minister also highlighted the necessity of incorporating younger perspectives into the pension commission, the body tasked with drafting reform proposals. She explained that the commission’s mandate would extend to all relevant issues, including the retirement age, the scope of contributors, and the treatment of income. Bas maintained that no restrictions should be placed on the range of ideas considered, emphasizing that openness to diverse proposals was essential for producing a balanced and forward-looking reform.