Wenn Bärbel Bas strahlt, stimmt was nicht mit dem Rentenplan

#theblackchannel #spd #pensions A major breakthrough? For FOCUS columnist Jan Fleischhauer, the pension commission is once again avoiding the truly necessary reforms. When Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) beams about the pension compromise, alarm bells ring for Jan Fleischhauer. For the FOCUS columnist, this isn't a seal of approval, but rather a warning sign. In the podcast "The Black Channel," he says: "When Bärbel Bas is beaming from ear to ear, then I know, yes, something's gone wrong here." Fleischhauer believes the reform package being celebrated doesn't solve the biggest problems of the pension system at all, but instead creates new ones. He considers the planned abolition of social security-exempt mini-jobs in their current form a particularly serious mistake. Fleischhauer doesn't believe that millions of mini-jobbers will simply switch to regular employment. The hospitality industry, delivery services, and newspaper delivery, in particular, depend on flexible workers. Many businesses simply couldn't afford additional full-time or part-time positions. "The place is just packed. Or I go there during rush hour and keep shouting, 'Waiter, waiter, waiter!' And then they say, 'Yes, the waiter will be right there.'" While some mini-jobs would transition into regular employment, the vast majority of positions are likely to disappear without replacement. Fleischhauer is also critical of the capital-based pension scheme. While increased investment in stocks could be beneficial, the catch is that companies would initially have to bear higher payroll taxes, with relief only coming years later. He therefore doesn't consider the planned corporate tax reform sufficient compensation. The fact that the self-employed will also be required to contribute to the statutory pension insurance in the future fits the pattern: new sources of financing are being tapped without solving the underlying problem. Fleischhauer: "A classic SPD plan." For Fleischhauer, the proposal lacks courage, especially regarding the retirement age. While the retirement age is to be linked to life expectancy in the future, this will only happen very late and in small steps. Retirement at 70, therefore, won't be possible until the 2090s. For Fleischhauer, this is far too late. In the podcast, he sums up his criticism as follows: "This pension commission and this proposal are skirting around the central problem that we all have to work a little longer."