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When union boss Pierre-Yves Maillard (55) promotes the 13th AHV pension, he likes to talk about the poor pensioner who has worked all her life – and yet has no money for heating oil. Therefore, she can only heat the room she is in with the ‘electric heater’. A classic case of old age poverty.
But the 13th AHV pension is not the right therapy here, says Christina Bachmann-Roth (40), chairman of the Mitte-Frauen. The mother of four children is convinced: “The 13th AHV pension is a sham because the financing has not been clarified. Ultimately, it will lead to an increase in VAT, which will mainly affect families.”
Money for the rich?
The director of a cheese factory believes that the problem of poverty among the elderly needs to be addressed specifically: “We need good supplementary benefits and not a blanket increase in pensions for everyone, even though 80 percent of pensioners are financially well off .” Instead of spoiling millionaires even more with a 13th AHV pension, the retiree “Electroöfeli” should be helped specifically.
Bachmann-Roth accuses left-wing politicians and unions of stigmatizing supplementary benefits. “They are the most effective means of combating poverty in old age.” Bachmann-Roth is convinced: “Wealthy retirees in particular benefit from the 13th AHV. Those who receive a partial pension, on the other hand, only receive slightly more.”
Together with national councilor Susanne Vincenz-Stauffacher (57), the chair of the FDP women, Bachmann-Roth heads the newly established women’s committee “No to the 13th AHV pension”. Vincenz-Stauffacher emphasizes: “The AHV statistics show that fewer women receive a maximum pension than is the case for men. The initiative does not in any way help women’s concerns.” The 13th AHV would not correct the differences between women and men, but would widen the gap between rich and poor.
Fear of the costs
Vincenz-Stauffacher emphasizes that the 13th AHV is especially unreasonable for the younger generation: “Who is going to pay for that? Instead of burdening young people with high costs, the AHV must be stabilized.”
From 2025, women in Switzerland will have to work longer. For women born in 1962 this is six months longer, for women born in 1963 nine months. For those born in 1964, the retirement age is 65. This is intended to relieve pressure on social systems. Bachmann-Roth and Vincenz-Stauffacher calculate that a 13th AHV would more than offset the savings effect of increasing women’s pensions: “The introduction of a 13th AHV pension would result in additional expenditure of approximately 5 billion francs per year. The 13th AHV pension therefore costs a total of three times as much per year as would be saved by adjusting the retirement age for women,” says Bachmann-Roth.
Vincenz-Stauffacher emphasizes: “The fact that this saved money is now being used to help finance benefits for everyone is disrespectful to women.”
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
