Kickl rages against government: The most expensive times for pensioners!

Kickl rages against government: The most expensive times for pensioners!

Österreich - On June 1, 2025, the increase in health insurance contributions in Austria causes violent criticism. The government decided to increase the contributions from 5.1 to 6 percent, which will cost each pensioner an average of 180 euros per year. The FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl described this step as "Day of Shame" and criticizes the government for its measures for budget consolidation. It accuses the government of priorizing itself and describes the increase as "slap in the face" for the people who have built the country. Kickl made the claim that the government was the "most expensive government of all time".

This increase is in the context of a comprehensive savings package, which provides for a savings goal of over 18 billion euros in the next seven years. According to today.at, the package of measures aims to bring 1.1 billion euros into the budget, although the consolidation goal of 6.4 billion euros has so far not been achieved. The pensioners and the FPÖ express significant concerns and demand a rethink.

measures for budget consolidation

The effects of the savings plan affect a variety of population groups. For example, the budget plan provides that the pension area must contribute 2.9 billion euros to consolidation by 2031. This also includes a limited access option to the corridor pension, in which the required insurance years increases from 40 to 42 and the access age is increased from 62 to 63. These changes could affect a particularly large number of older workers.

In addition, the government plans incentives for the employment of older people, which includes a qualification offensive and incentives for employers. The introduction of a partial board for people who would like to continue working after the pension was also decided; There is no limitation of the additional earnings. This is intended to help reduce the financial pressure on the pension system, while more older people are to be kept in working life.

reactions and outlook

The planned increase in health insurance contributions and the additional measures not only met with resistance from Kickl and the FPÖ, but also from various advocates. The average additional costs vary depending on the income, for example, a person with a gross income of 1,000 euros only has to pay only 2 euros more net, while someone will feel an increase of 19 euros with 3,500 euros.

In the long run, the reform could bring savings of around 270 million euros annually to pension expenses, which is considered relatively low in the course of increasing pension expenses of around 30 billion euros in 2024. trade unions-online.at also notes that 48,000 citizens in 2023 would currently have no entitlement to the corridor pension.

Developments related to the reform and its effects on the population are still carefully pursued, while the government is under pressure to make its measures more transparent and fair.