Left criticizes the Federal Council "Cancellation of current widows' pensions is outrageous"

On Wednesday, the Federal Council decided to abolish widows' pensions. The measure has been widely criticized by the SP and the trade unions.

Today, widows receive a pension for life, even if they have no dependent children. Widowers, on the other hand, only receive them until the youngest child comes of age. In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) upheld this unequal treatment of the sexes in a ruling.

The Federal Council has now decided to change this regulation - but not in the interests of the left: widows and widowers should now receive a pension until the youngest child reaches the age of 25 - regardless of marital status.

Last but not least, the reform also has a savings effect. If it can come into force in 2026, it should result in a reduction in AHV expenditure of around CHF 350 million by 2030. 70 million of this will be savings for the federal government.

"Fatal" decision for disadvantaged women

"No to the slashing of widows' pensions", writes the SP in a press release. The Federal Council, which is dominated by the middle classes, is turning an equality bill into a cutback bill without need. "It is outrageous that the Federal Council also wants to cut current widows' pensions," says SP National Councillor Barbara Gysi. It could be fatal, especially for poorly off women, if a pension is simply dropped after many years.

Samira Marti, National Councillor and Co-President of the SP parliamentary group, takes the same line: "The Federal Council never tires of emphasizing that the federal finances are under pressure. But when it comes to spending huge sums on the army or tax giveaways for the wealthy and large corporations, they don't bat an eyelid."

The Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) is fundamentally open to a reorganization of survivors' pensions in line with changing social developments and family structures, as it writes in a press release. It also welcomes the Federal Council's decision to use the revision to specifically support surviving dependants with dependent children. The same applies to the consideration of people at risk of poverty as well as age-related circumstances.

Reduction of current pensions is "unacceptable"

On the other hand, the SGB is firmly opposed to the redesign being linked to a reduction in benefits for the benefit of federal finances. Based on the figures from the 2022 AHV statistics, the proposal would correspond to a reduction in the overall budget for survivors' pensions of around 50 percent.

"This is a reduction that will primarily affect widows who already receive a widow's pension," writes the SGB. This abolition or reduction of current pensions is "unacceptable and causes existential fears". The Federal Council adopted the dispatch for parliament on Wednesday. The SP has already announced its opposition in the parliamentary debate.