‘Unrealistic and unreasonable’: Outcry as Denmark’s retirement age to grow to be highest in Europe at 70 | EUROtoday

Denmark will enhance its retirement age to 70 by 2040 making it the best in Europe, after its parliament adopted a controversial new legislation.

Under Danish coverage, the retirement age is revised each 5 years and is tied to life expectancy, that means it’s set to rise to 68 in 2030 and 69 in 2035.

The Nordic nation follows an outdated precept that the state pension age ought to go up broadly consistent with life expectancy, which in Denmark presently sits at 81.7 years outdated. Retirement age has been tied to life expectancy in Denmark since 2006.

Passed within the Danish parliament with 81 votes for and 21 towards, the rise has prompted anger amongst Danes who hoped the retirement age wouldn’t attain a symbolic milestone, forcing many to work till they attain their eighth decade.

Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s Social Democrat prime minister has made clear that the coverage is just not sustainable long run.

“We no longer believe that the retirement age should be increased automatically,” she mentioned in accordance with the BBC. “You can’t just keep saying that people have to work a year longer”.

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But many voters have reacted angrily, fearful of being forced to “keep going” even when their our bodies are lower than it.

The coverage is “unrealistic and unreasonable”, 47-year-old roofer Tommas Jensen instructed public broadcaster Danmarks Radio. “We work and work and work, but we can’t keep going.”

While it is perhaps totally different for these with desk jobs, Mr Jensen added, staff with physically-demanding jobs would battle with the modifications.

“I’ve paid my taxes all my life. There also needs to be time to be with kids and grandchildren,” Mr Jensen told outlet DK.

According to the Timeshowever, surveys show that more than half of Danes want to keep working beyond the state pension age, gradually phasing themselves into retirement over several years during their 60s rather than cutting off entirely once they reach retirement.

Jesper Ettrup Rasmussen, the chairman of the Danish trade union confederation, said the change was “utterly unfair”, according to the BBC.

“Denmark has a wholesome financial system and but the EU’s highest retirement age,” he said.

“The next retirement age implies that [people will] lose the proper to a dignified senior life.”

Some Danes have angrily famous the retirement age of 60 for a lot of of their politicians on parliamentary pensions, together with Ms Frederiksen, 47, and 26 MPs elected earlier than 2007. They want solely to have labored as an elected MP for one 12 months to be eligible for this pension.