Left Party demands poverty-proof pension for single parents - Left Party demands poverty-proof pension for single parents
Germany’s recent pension reforms aim to stabilise retirement benefits and ease financial pressures on vulnerable groups. Yet critics argue that single parents still face significant risks of old-age poverty. The Left Party has now pushed for broader changes to protect them and reform the pension system entirely.
The calls come as a government-backed commission prepares long-term fixes for the country’s retirement security by mid-2026.
Last month, parliament passed a pension reform package to keep benefit levels steady. It also introduced a tax break for retirees who continue working and expanded the ‘mother’s pension’—a supplement for parents who took time off to raise children. Despite these steps, the Left Party insists more must be done.
In Thuringia, the party highlighted that single parents often work part-time or in unstable jobs, leaving them with lower pensions later in life. Katja Maurer, the Left Party’s social policy spokesperson, urged immediate action to prevent poverty among this group. She proposed crediting childcare and elder care periods toward pension calculations, along with fair pay for unpaid care work.
The party also demands a unified pension system where all workers—including the self-employed and civil servants—contribute equally. This aligns with a proposal from SPD leader Georg Maier, who backs a universal pension model. Meanwhile, a 13-member commission is reviewing long-term solutions, with recommendations expected by mid-2026.
To further support single parents, the Left Party calls for expanded childcare access. They argue that better services would help parents balance work and family responsibilities, reducing their financial vulnerability in retirement.
The Left Party’s proposals target gaps in the current pension system, particularly for single parents at risk of old-age poverty. With reforms already in place and a commission reviewing broader changes, the debate over fairer retirement security continues. Any new policies would need to address unpaid care work, part-time employment, and pension contribution rules.
