Pending new legislation means widows and widowers will soon receive a pension only until the youngest child reaches the age of 25. Currently, widows, but not widowers, receive a pension for life. For widowers the payments currently stop when the youngest child turns 18. This week, the Federal Council sent instructions to parliament to enact the reform, reported RTS.
The change has partly been driven by the need to find savings to balance government budgets. It also responds to the gender discrimination inherent in the current system, which favours women. The discrimination in the current system was brought to political attention by a widower who won a discrimination case at the European Court of Human Rights in October 2022.
Others have also argued the current system no longer reflects the way society now operates. Historically, few women earned salaries. In 1960, women made up 34% of the workforce. By 2023, the same figure was 46%, not far from gender partity.
The planned changes to the law will allow widows over 55 to retain an entitlement to lifetime payments. The new law will come into effect in 2026. By 2030, the change is forecast to save around CHF 350 million.
More on this:
RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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