68% of Germans Oppose Scrapping Rente mit 63

Last Updated:

August 12, 2026

Germany’s pension reform commission, the Alterssicherungskommission, submitted its recommendations to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) on June 23, 2026.

One of the recommendations is to abolish Rente mit 63 (retirement at 63). It is the penalty-free early retirement after 45 contribution years.

The commission’s report recommends against any rule that lets someone retire based on contribution years alone.

Instead, it proposes raising the deduction-free retirement age for long-term contributors from 63 to 64. Future increases would tie to rising life expectancy.

As a partial offset, the commission proposes a new Schutzrente (protection pension) for people with long contribution histories who can no longer work for health reasons near retirement age.

This protection would let them retire early without the retraining requirements that normally apply before someone can claim a disability-related pension.

The ruling coalition wants the legislative process finished by the end of 2026.

Opposition Extends Beyond Rente mit 63 to Other Pension Plans

Insa surveyed 1,005 people on August 6–7, 2026. The results show broad public resistance to the commission’s plan:

68% oppose abolishing Rente mit 63. Only 24% support scrapping it.
56% say they personally want to use, or have already used, the option.
61% also oppose separate plans to introduce social security contributions on mini-jobs.
77% say they are dissatisfied with the government’s pension policy overall.

Unions and the CDU Push Back on Ending Rente mit 63

Union leaders have pushed back hard.

Verdi chief Frank Werneke called the proposal to eliminate penalty-free retirement after 45 insurance years “wrong.”
IG Metall chief Christiane Benner defended the benefit. She pointed to the physically demanding conditions many long-term contributors have worked under.
CDU politician Gitta Connemann pushed back against reopening the debate. She said, “the pension package is not a buffet.” She warned against unpicking a compromise she described as hard-won.

Nothing has changed yet for people planning their retirement today. Under the rules in force now, you can still retire without deductions after 45 years of contributions.

That option currently starts at age 64.5. This is unaffected by the commission’s recommendations until a law is actually passed.

Any transitional protection (Vertrauensschutz) for people close to retirement will depend on the Bundestag and Bundesrat’s vote on the full package.

NOTE: Any transitional protection (Vertrauensschutz) for people close to retirement will depend on the Bundestag and Bundesrat’s vote on the full package.

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