It is not easy to understand what is contained in the budget bill for 2026 by the way say pensions. Certainly the reasons for the planned measures are not clear. Having included in the budget for 2026 The provisions that will come into force in the next two years, and moreover within the context of a relatively modest financial intervention (€18,7 billion) compared to more common measures, can be understood within the context of internal relations within the majority. Beyond this questionable legislative technique, the real problem lies elsewhere: there was no need to reopen the pension project except to decide whether or not to renew the measures that are being proposed again – perhaps for twenty years as a women's option – for just one year at a time.
Furthermore, with regard to the automatic link to the increase in life expectancy, it is not enough to base the 2027-2028 two-year period on a forecast of demographic trends, which would in any case require verification according to the procedures established by law. Formally, in fact, the two-year period 2027-2028 has been brought forward. the overall increase of three months in the age and seniority required to acquire the relevant pensions (of ordinary and early old age), taking as a reference a demographic process that has yet to occur, even if – demography being almost an exact science – it is almost certain, rebus sic stantibus, an increase in life expectancy above the three months limit established by law.
But what will happen in the two-year period 2029-2030? Will there be effective feedback, or will we continue to guesswork, despite the fact that this matter is essential for a sustainable imbalance in the pension system? Will the spending curve continue to be adjusted year after year, abandoning any control over its impact on GDP in the medium term? Given this, there are some aspects that deserve clarification. In the absence of the draft law, we have researched the explanatory statement of the maneuver published by the Presidency of the Council, of which we recall the part regarding pensions below.
“The three-month increase in retirement age has been sterilized, starting from 2027, for workers engaged in strenuous and arduous activities. For the remaining categories of workers, the increase will be of just one month in 2027 and two months in 2028. A €260 annual increase is expected for pensions of those in difficult circumstances.
Let's proceed in order, starting with the simplest things. The increase of 260 euros per year is nothing more than the product of the 20 euros per month multiplied by 12 monthly payments plus the thirteenth salary. and is part of FI's request to raise minimum pensions. However, there is a variation from what has been said on the topic so far. It's unclear who the target audience is; indeed, those on the minimum pension seem to be excluded, unless the plan is to limit the payment to those in this category who are living in poverty and the €20 monthly allowance is added to social security increases.
But the real million-dollar question is another: how can we block the three-month increase in retirement age (and what happens to the seniority requirement?) for workers employed in strenuous and demanding jobs, when this increase is not contemplated by current legislation? For workers engaged in strenuous and particularly strenuous activities (work in tunnels, quarries, or mines; high-temperature work; compressed air caissons; deep-sea divers; hollow glass processing; asbestos removal work; work performed predominantly and continuously in confined spaces; batch or serial work; night work; drivers of vehicles used for public transport, with a capacity of more than nine seats) the following requirements apply: age at least 61 years and 7 months; at least 35 years of contributions; and reaching the 97,6% quorum. For arduous work (there are approximately 200 professional profiles covered by law), the requirement is 63 years and 5 months of age and 36 or 30 years of seniority depending on the duties performed, employment status, and family circumstances. The same set of conditions applies to early retirement, early retirement, and other early retirement options for reasons deserving special protection.
These are the measures envisaged in the press release. Every now and then there is talk of exempting even those who have already turned 64, including in this category situations that have long been established: the so-called early retirees, or those who have accrued 41 years of contributions, at least 12 months of which were before their 19th birthday. Essentially, when it comes to pensions in times of "flotilla," navigation is uncertain.
