Germany: Council of “five experts” requests increasing retirement age to 69

Should retirement age be the same across the EU?  Angela Merkel’s criticisms as to retirement conditions and the duration of leaves in southern Europe are still making ripples.  It was during a meeting of one of the regional federations of her party (CDU) that Merkel expressed these criticisms against ailing European countries which receive billions from their EU partners.  For the German Chancellor, the important thing for these countries isn’t simply to make their finances healthier and stop running into debt, it is also that “in countries such as Greece, Spain and Portugal, people should not be allowed to receive pension before their German counterparts.  We all have to put in some effort. This is important” said the Chancellor who probably didn’t think that these words, uttered almost confidentially, would have such an impact.  The general reaction to words which could let one think that Merkel would like retirement age to be unified in Europe was even more severe because the media immediately checked her allegations and pointed out that the Germans don’t work more or longer than their neighbors.
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as Greece, Spain and Portugal, people should not be allowed to receive pension before their German counterparts. We all have to put in some effort. This is important” said the Chancellor who probably didn’t think that these words, uttered almost confidentially, would have such an impact. The general reaction to words which could let one think that Merkel would like retirement age to be unified in Europe was even more severe because the media immediately checked her allegations and pointed ou

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