Radical Party revises retirement proposal following pressure

Radical Party president, Steinegger, came under pressure from within his party to lower the age of retirement he has been calling for in the revision to AVS Keystone

In the face of strong criticism, the president of the Radical Party, Franz Steinegger, has revised the age of retirement he is calling for from 67 to 66.

Speaking at his party’s conference on Saturday, he revealed that a compromise had been reached with the party’s leadership.

They agreed that the financial demands of an ageing population made some form of revision to the current state pension necessary.

The Radical Party made clear their opposition to any increase in Value Added Tax to compensate for the costs of an ageing population. Further, they argued that raising the age of retirement to 67, as Steinegger had originally proposed, was unreasonable.

Steinegger announced at the party conference in canton Vaud, that he believed it was important to revise the age of retirement from 65 to 66, and not 67 anymore.

The dossier of the eleventh revision of the old-age pension scheme is currently in the hands of a parliamentary committee.

But, the Christian Democrat party president, Adalbert Durrer, voiced his opposition to raising the age of retirement at his party’s meeting at Delémont.

“The Christian Democrats will counter all attempts to raise the age of retirement in the eleventh revision of the old-age pension scheme,” Durrer told party delegates at the assembly meeting in French-speaking Switzerland.

Durrer outlined his position, saying Steinegger’s proposal was unrealistic. “This idea only takes into account the rising standards of living,” Durrer said. He argued that professional life was increasingly more demanding and stressful.

Durrer outlined the party position on the issue, saying that 65 was the desired age of retirement, with the possibility of early retirement at 62. He said this was the most they would accept.

swissinfo with agencies