Part 8/12:
The Haltelinie was a safeguard intended to prevent the pension level from falling below 48%, regardless of economic circumstances. However, starting in 2018, political decisions suspended this rule, with the government claiming that even if calculations suggested a drop below 47%, the level should be kept steady at 48%, effectively delaying the inevitable.
This controversial approach has led to a fierce debate about the future direction of pension policies, especially as the current government, headed by Friedrich Merz, aims to extend this Haltelinie until at least 2031. The argument from the government is that without this safeguard, pension levels would decline sharply after 2031, eroding the value of pensions and inflating inflation’s effect on retirees.