Senate poised to say “no” to state pension age increase

The government’s plan to increase the state pension age more quickly is unlikely to pass in the senate, where opposition parties from across the political spectrum have said they will vote against, television current affairs show Nieuwsuur has reported.

The state pension age currently rises by eight months for every year life expectancy increases, but the new administration wants to make that a full year. In particular, 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.

Paul Rosenmöller, who leads the biggest senate party Progressief Nederland, told Nieuwsuur on Monday that it is “extremely important” the plan is dropped. “And I think the cabinet is slowly coming to realise this,” he said.

The senate is due to debate the coalition agreement with prime minister Rob Jetten on Tuesday, and the state pension plans are expected to be one of the most controversial aspects.

Far-right parties in the senate also want change, describing the plan as “anti-social” and going against the terms of the pension agreement negotiated between the unions, employers and ministers in 2019.

Lower house

The measure did win tentative approval in the lower house after a proposal from the far right to “soften” the impact was accepted by the coalition. Ministers said they would discuss how to do this with the unions, which then refused to take part in any talks.

As yet, ministers have not said how they plan to lessen the impact of putting the pension age up more quickly, particularly on people doing tough physical work.