According to a study on elderly’s financial insecurity published by the DIW (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung), poverty among elderly tends to gain ground in Germany.
« This phenom would affect more persons that have been through a long period of unemployement, such as mothers », says Peter Haan, co-author of the study.
Poverty of German elderly increases
Peter Haan, who is working for DIW in Germany, confirms: poverty among elderly is more and more widespread in the country, and the number of poor seniors is likely to significantly raise in the next 20 years.
Whereas elderly join migrants at the Tafel place (the German equivalent of the “Restos du Coeur” in France), it is just the beginning: according to this study, by 2036, one 67-year-old senior out of five will be threaten by poverty.
The radical reform of the retirement system, a reason of the German elderly’s poverty ?
Amongst all the reasons mentioned, there is the radical reform of the retirement system, implemented by Gherard Schröder. “This reform has slown down pensions”, says France Inter, but the problem is most of all the employement insecurity: more and more unemployement periods, “small” jobs, small wages… which naturally leads to lower pensions.
As the September federal elections approach, this issue will be one of the major thematics of this political campaign. Martin Schulz, the social-democrat candidate, proposes for instance to set up a “solidarity retirement” in order to help the weakest people.
Published by the Editorial Staff on