Controversy over second pillar continues even after clear no vote by the people
Published: Sunday, Sep 22nd 2024, 16:42
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The Left Party wants to improve women's pensions with care credits. The trade association is calling for a higher retirement age. Following the clear "no" to the BVG reform, interpretations of the result of the vote differ, as do ideas on how to proceed.
The Yes committee wrote on Sunday that it had missed an opportunity to adapt the pension scheme to social reality. The FDP was fiercely critical. The left and the trade unions had prevented around 359,000 people from building up a higher pension with a campaign that was contrary to the facts, it criticized on Sunday. Because the AHV is also in trouble, the principle of "pension security before benefit expansion" must now apply.
The Center Party also accused the opponents of the BVG reform of operating with false figures. Solutions still needed to be found for part-time workers and people with several employers. Wage contributions for older employees should also be adjusted in order to increase their chances on the job market.
The women's umbrella organization Alliance F also regretted the failure of the reform. This means that Switzerland is back in first place in efforts to improve pension provision for women.
Discussion about childcare credits
However, the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) announced that the result of the vote was a very clear signal to federal politicians and pension funds. A majority of voters were of the clear opinion that the pension level in Switzerland could not be reduced, especially for middle-income earners.
The trade union umbrella organization Travailsuisse took the same line. It argued that the reform had not solved the problem of women's pensions being too low.
The SP welcomed the No to the BVG reform as a success for the purchasing power of the population. The party named three key points for a new attempt at pension fund reform. Firstly, it wants lower returns for banks and insurance companies. In addition, an inflation adjustment for existing pensions is needed in future to protect purchasing power, as well as better pensions for women.
The party wants to achieve this specifically through the introduction of care credits in the second pillar. The Greens also supported this demand on Sunday.
SVP opposes "experiments"
For the SVP, however, the No to the BVG reform means that the population "does not want any BVG experiments". The plans of the left are completely irresponsible, the party wrote. The proven three-pillar model would be driven to the wall financially.
The Swiss Employers' Association (SAV) also immediately opposed all expansion plans. The desired stabilization of the second pillar had once again been missed.
Like the other bourgeois parties, the Green Liberals do not want to shake up the three-pillar system. Instead, they demanded that the blockade policy be overcome.
Call for a higher retirement age
The pension fund association Asip called for a standstill following the referendum. The association wrote that it took note of the "no" vote. Like the umbrella organization Economiesuisse, it emphasized that the need for pension reform remains.
Economy was divided
The gastronomy association Gastrosuisse, however, welcomed the No vote. The Swiss electorate had thus taken a stand against arbitrary redistribution. The gastronomy association was part of the economic alliance "No to the BVG sham reform". This also included the French-speaking Swiss employers' association Centre Patronal and several smaller industry associations.
Shortly after the polls closed at midday, Center Party President Gerhard Pfister described the disunity within the conservative camp as one reason for the failure of the BVG reform. The conservative "yes" alliance had been broken up by parts of the SVP. There had also been prominent voices from the Council of States within the FDP who had opposed the bill, Pfister told Swiss Radio SRF.
©Keystone/SDA
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