Coalition parties agree to soften state pension age plans

The three coalition parties are prepared to soften their plans to increase the state pension age in line with life expectancy, it emerged during Wednesday’s debate on the new cabinet’s programme.

The three parties – D66, the VVD and the CDA – have accepted a motion from the fundamentalist Christian SGP and a far-right splinter group to take a “less strict” approach to the increase.

The state pension age currently rises by eight months for every year life expectancy increases, but the new administration had planned to make that a full year. Exactly how the change will take shape remains unclear.

Left-wing parties in parliament oppose any further increase to the pension age, which is currently 67 and scheduled to rise to 67 and three months in 2028.

Two days have been set aside for debate on the new cabinet and its plans and the opposition responses will indicate how likely they are to back the more controversial measures.

• Rob Jetten’s cabinet will be running into headwinds from day one

Raising the state pension age is expected to be one of the most contentious proposals, alongside cuts to unemployment benefit and an increase in the health insurance own risk payment.