German CDU official proposes pension reform: working years instead of contribution years

Gitta Connemann, head of the CDU-affiliated Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsvereinigung, proposes counting only actual working years toward the 45-year threshold for full pension eligibility, excluding periods of unemployment or other non-working contributions. This marks a policy shift within the CDU ahead of the 2026 federal election, aiming to reward long-term workers but potentially facing opposition from labor unions. The proposal is at an early stage and its legislative prospects are uncertain.