Is Denmark Setting a New Standard for Retirement? The Controversial Move to a 70-Year Threshold

Denmark is poised to adopt the highest retirement age in Europe, with a law passed that will raise it to 70 by 2040. This decision comes as part of Denmark’s long-standing policy of linking the official retirement age to life expectancy, which has seen adjustments every five years since 2006. Currently set at 67, the age will escalate to 68 in 2030 and 69 in 2035, ultimately affecting all individuals born after 31 December 1970.

The voting outcome was 81 for and 21 against, indicating a significant governmental support for this change. However, contrasting views have been expressed by the Social Democrat Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who mentioned that future negotiations may seek to reassess this automatic increase in retirement age. She argued that it shouldn’t simply be taken for granted that people must work longer.

Tommas Jensen, a roofer at 47, voiced strong opposition, claiming that while people with desk jobs may handle extended working years better, physically demanding professions make such a shift “unreasonable”. He emphasized the importance of having time to spend with family, questioning the expectation for everyone to extend their working lives without consideration of the nature of their jobs.

Protests erupted, backed by trade unions, with attendees in Copenhagen expressing their dissatisfaction over the revisions to the retirement age. Jesper Ettrup Rasmussen, leader of a Danish trade union confederation, criticized the proposed increase as “completely unfair,” arguing that Denmark’s robust economy should not necessitate a retirement age that degrades citizens’ senior years.

Across Europe, retirement ages vary widely as nations adjust to rising life expectancy and economic pressures. Sweden allows pensions to be drawn from age 63, while Italy’s standard is 67, with adjustments anticipated in 2026. The UK also faces gradual increases in the state pension age from 66 for those born between 1954 and 1960, and France recently raised its retirement age from 62 to 64, provoking significant public unrest. This context highlights the growing trend of extending working years amidst concerns for workers’ rights and dignified aging.