Germany's Social Democrats want pension guarantees to 2040

Politics 21:47 19.08.2018
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat, has threatened to make pensions a central theme in the next national elections in 2021 unless Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives agree to guarantee pension levels until 2040.
 
Scholz told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that securing stable pension levels was a top priority for his party, which has seen its political support drop to historic lows since the 2017 election.
 
The ruling coalition has agreed only to keep pensions stable until 2025, but Scholz said his party was pressing for guarantees that would continue through the 2030s.
 
Doing so, he said, was the best insurance Germany could muster to prevent further increases in support for populist parties.
 
“Globalization and digitalisation create wealth, but they are also changing our world at a rapid pace. Our citizens expect, appropriately, that we do everything possible to ensure that they can still live well,” he told the newspaper.
 
“Stable pensions will prevent a German Trump,” he said, in a reference to the anti-establishment wave that swept U.S. President Donald Trump into power in 2016.
 
If Merkel’s conservative bloc refused to agree to keep pensions stable through to 2040, the issue would become the focus of a major political fight, Scholz said.
 
“Then the citizens will decide this issue with their ballots,” he said.
 
Germany faces its next national election in 2021, but several states - including Bavaria - go to the polls in the interim.
 
A new poll conducted for the Bild am Sonntag showed that the conservatives had lost one percentage point to poll at 30 percent, while the SPD was steady at 17 percent. That means that if Germany voted again tomorrow, the grand coalition would not have enough support to govern.
 
The poll, conducted by the Emnid institute, showed the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party gaining one point to 15 percent, and the pro-business Free Democrats adding one point to poll at 9 percent.
Azerbaijan Defense Minister informs NATO chief on situation in Azerbaijan-Armenia conditional border -VIDEO

News line

EU looks forward to cooperation with Azerbaijan for successful COP29
10:38 19.03.2024
EU to impose tariffs on Russian grain
10:11 19.03.2024
Embassy of Azerbaijan in France appeals to Azerbaijanis
10:00 19.03.2024
Azerbaijani oil price exceeds $88
Azerbaijani oil price exceeds $88
09:48 19.03.2024
Mehriban Aliyeva makes post on Last Tuesday before Novruz Holiday
09:35 19.03.2024
Pashinyan: Delimitation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan entered practical stage
09:00 19.03.2024
Pakistan restricts foreign travels of ministers, government officials
Pakistan restricts foreign travels of ministers, government officials
20:39 18.03.2024
EU to boost military support fund for Ukraine by EUR 5 bln — Hungarian foreign minister
20:00 18.03.2024
Industrial zones to be created in Azerbaijan’s Zangilan, Jabrayil, and Gubadli
19:16 18.03.2024
Reuters: Only an oil slump can stop Russia
19:00 18.03.2024
Top Hamas operative killed in hospital raid, IDF says
Top Hamas operative killed in hospital raid, IDF says
18:33 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev congratulates people of Azerbaijan on occasion of Novruz holiday - UPDATED
18:00 18.03.2024
Jens Stoltenberg: We fully support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity
Jens Stoltenberg: We fully support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity
17:47 18.03.2024
2 dead, 6 injured in Türkiye factory explosion
2 dead, 6 injured in Türkiye factory explosion
17:28 18.03.2024
Armenia’s anti-Russian policy reaches new level
17:11 18.03.2024
"The Middle Corridor plays a key role for Green Energy" - Expert Ali Pasha
16:45 18.03.2024
Central square of Khankandi named “Victory Square”
16:22 18.03.2024
President: We demonstrated tremendous heroism during the II Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation
16:16 18.03.2024
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus visited IEPF - PHOTOS - VIDEO
16:00 18.03.2024
Historic opportunity emerged to advance the Azerbaijani-Armenian peace agenda - FM Bayramov
15:21 18.03.2024
Bayramov and Stoltenberg discuss normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia
15:03 18.03.2024
Azerbaijan Defense Minister informs NATO chief on situation in Azerbaijan-Armenia conditional border -VIDEO
14:58 18.03.2024
Stoltenberg's visit to the Caucasus: "NATO is in panic" - OPİNİON
14:29 18.03.2024
Hikmat Hajiyev holds discussions for upcoming COP29 with Chinese Vice FM
Hikmat Hajiyev holds discussions for upcoming COP29 with Chinese Vice FM
14:00 18.03.2024
Stoltenberg concludes his official visit to Azerbaijan
13:42 18.03.2024
Geomagnetic storm expected on March 20
13:33 18.03.2024
Mbappe celebrates his 250th goal in PSG
Mbappe celebrates his 250th goal in PSG
13:19 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev makes a phone call to Vladimir Putin
13:00 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev lit Novruz bonfire in Khankandi and congratulated Azerbaijani people
12:34 18.03.2024
Foreign students attacked in India over Ramadan prayers
12:30 18.03.2024
Spring comes to Northern Hemisphere
Spring comes to Northern Hemisphere
12:17 18.03.2024
Why does Azerbaijan matter to the European Union? - OPINION
12:00 18.03.2024
Number of human remains found in mass grave in Khojaly reaches 19
11:45 18.03.2024
Hikmat Hajiyev meets Pakistani envoy to China
Hikmat Hajiyev meets Pakistani envoy to China
11:33 18.03.2024
EU Council to discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization
11:23 18.03.2024
Global Terrorism Index: Azerbaijan among countries with highest anti-terror rating worldwide
10:56 18.03.2024
Oil prices keep rising
Oil prices keep rising
10:40 18.03.2024
Stoltenberg: NATO looking forward to further strengthening partnership with Azerbaijan
10:23 18.03.2024
Azerbaijani police found numerous weapons and ammunition in Khankandi
10:10 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: There is a good chance for settlement of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations
09:57 18.03.2024
Hamısı