Survey: Only 29 percent consider the statutory pension to be fair between generations

The stability of a pension system is not measured solely by contribution rates, reserves, or federal subsidies. It also depends on whether people perceive it as fair. This is precisely where a clear tension emerges: Only 29 percent of Germans feel that the statutory pension equally considers the interests of younger and older generations. This is the result of a representative survey by YouGov commissioned by the German Insurance Association (GDV).

“A pension system can only remain stable in the long term if it is perceived as fair. The fact that currently less than a third see the statutory pension as fair between generations is a clear signal that reforms are needed,” says Jörg Asmussen, CEO of GDV. “The current pension policy discussions offer an opportunity to develop viable solutions that do justice to the interests of all generations.”

Pension Commission: Scepticism about its ability to reform

Against this backdrop, the outlook for the newly established Pension Commission is rather sober. It is tasked with presenting proposals by June 2026 for a long-term sustainable and generation-fair design of old-age provision. However, 68 percent of respondents are not at all or only slightly confident that it will produce reform proposals capable of stabilizing the pension system in the long run.

“This scepticism shows how important it is to build trust and explain reforms,” Asmussen continues. “This is not about pitting the statutory pension against funded private provision, but about their sensible interaction—we need all three pillars of old-age provision.”

Broader contribution base and more capital funding

When asked about possible approaches to achieving greater intergenerational fairness, 62 percent of respondents support expanding the group of contributors. This proposal directly addresses the financing side of the pay-as-you-go system. At the same time, stronger promotion of occupational and private pensions ranks second among the proposed measures, with 47 percent support.

“More contributors can provide short-term relief. However, they do not permanently solve the demographic problem, because additional contributors also acquire their own entitlements,” says Asmussen. “A structurally future-proof system relies more heavily on capital funding. Here, Germany, at around 14 percent, is well below the OECD average.”

Retirement provision requires reliability

In private pensions, the focus is less on promises of high returns and more on expectations of security. Thirty-one percent of employed respondents chose better protection of their savings as the strongest potential incentive for additional private provision; among women, this figure is even higher at 34 percent, compared to 28 percent for men. Higher returns (27 percent) and stronger government support (24 percent) follow behind.

“The results show that for many people, protecting accumulated capital is the decisive factor. Retirement provision must be reliable, sustainable in the long term, and must not end too early. Already today, 3 million people in Germany are older than 85,” says Asmussen.

Occupational pensions as a bridge

Against this background, occupational pensions are also gaining importance. The latest reform of the Occupational Pensions Strengthening Act allows companies without collective agreements to automatically enroll employees in a company pension scheme unless they opt out. Fifty-two percent of employed respondents would accept such an offer; 27 percent are still undecided, and only 12 percent would actively opt out. This level of acceptance suggests that low-threshold access to capital-funded provision is well received.

“In our view, occupational pensions have by no means exhausted their potential. They need to be expanded further and reach employees in small and medium-sized enterprises and in the service sector in particular. This could be achieved, as we propose, by offering employees a company pension by default, with only those who explicitly opt out not being enrolled,” says Jörg Asmussen.

Intergenerational fairness requires structural reforms

The survey makes clear that the discussion about intergenerational fairness is no longer an abstract debate. It touches on the central question of how Germany’s old-age security system can be designed to be stable and balanced in the long term.

For the GDV, one thing is clear: the statutory pension remains the foundation of old-age provision. However, its long-term stability requires that pay-as-you-go benefits be supplemented by stronger capital-funded provision. Only through the interaction of all three pillars can the system be developed in a way that remains financially viable and is perceived as fair by the public.

About the data basis

The data for this survey are based on online interviews with members of the YouGov panel who had previously agreed to participate. A total of 2,234 people were surveyed between January 23 and January 26, 2026. The survey was quota-sampled by age, gender, education, region, living environment, voting behavior, and political interest, and the results were subsequently weighted accordingly. The findings are representative of the German resident population aged 18 and over.