FDP Josef Dittli proposes $ 12 billion
This man should save his retirement
On Wednesday, the Council of State fights to reform the pension fund. The pension adjustment intended to compensate for the decline in the conversion rate is particularly controversial. US FDP Councilor Josef Dittli is now presenting a new proposal that will cost $ 12 billion.
Published: 06/14/2022 at 14:56
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Updated: 6/14/2022 at 15:22
He got into the soup, now he has to drink it with a spoon: US Councilor FDP Josef Dittli (65). In the fight to reform the pension fund, the social politician from Uri introduced his own model to compensate for the decline in the conversion rate. The 20-year-old transition generation should receive a gradual pension supplement of up to 200 francs per month. He was strengthened by a hair in the committee. Only that the cost calculations showed that the model would be much more expensive than expected: 25.2 billion francs! Dittli had to take harsh criticism for this – also from his own ranks.
On the other hand, there was the dissolution of the National Council. It also foresees a gradual supplement to the pension of up to CHF 200 per month for the 15-year-old generation in a transitional period. Only a good 35-40 percent of new retirees would receive benefits. The subsidy is to be financed mainly from the provisions of the pension fund. Cost point: 9.1 billion Swiss Francs.
Dittli starts all over again
Problem: the Dittli model is far too expensive for citizens, while the dissolution of the National Council is in danger of a referendum failure. That’s why the wires have been overheating in the last few days. An individual application was needed to find an alternative solution. But who should put it together?
Now it’s clear: Dittli does it himself! It is based in principle on the dissolution of the National Council. His application is now limited to the 15-year-old generation in transition to receive a progressive pension supplement of up to CHF 200 per month.
Audience 37 percent to 47 percent
A big difference to the National Council: the circle of beneficiaries will expand – 37 to 47 percent of the transition generation will receive a contract, according to the calculations of the Federal Social Insurance Agency (BSV). This is based on 2.5 times the maximum wage insured by the BVG, which is currently 86,040 francs – up to an upper limit of approximately 215.00 francs in pension assets, you receive a pension supplement.
More on pension fund reform
Anyone who has saved more will only receive compensation if they actually receive less than today with the minimum requirements of BVG. According to BSV calculations, the new model now costs 11.9 billion francs – half the price of Dittli’s original proposal.
Doubts about reform are growing
It is unclear whether the proposal will find a majority on Wednesday. Because SVP councilor Alex Kuprecht (64, SZ) sticks to his minority request to dissolve the National Council. However, there are also tactical considerations: the state councils must make a difference to the National Council so that pension compensation can be further discussed and, if necessary, adjusted. Many members of the Council of State would like to maintain this freedom.
But more and more voices are questioning the entire reform. There is a dispute not only about the equalization of pensions, but also about a higher wage fund, from which contributions should flow to the second pillar.
FDP-Noser: “The current situation is better”
“The current situation is better for both employers and employees than previous reform proposals,” FDP councilor Ruedi Noser, 61, ZH, tells Blick. The problem of too high a conversion rate of 6.8 percent. concerns only about 14 percent. insured. “It doesn’t make sense if 40 or 50 percent are getting a retirement allowance.” Most importantly, the costs of the planned reform are too high. “I’d rather stick to the status quo.” However, it does not want to apply for non-withdrawal. “If necessary, we can sink the reform into the final vote.”
It sounds similar with SVP State Councilor Hannes Germann (65, SH). “Structurally, the current proposals add little,” he says. Reducing the conversion rate would only make an adjustment of a good CHF 400 million per year, which would be offset by huge additional costs. “A lot of money for little benefit,” says Germann. “It would be better if we grounded the reform quickly.”
Head of the union: “Inflation should also be a problem” (01:19)