Will Interior Minister Alain Berset be able to convince voters to back reforms of the old-age pension scheme? Interviewed by swissinfo.ch at the recent Congress of the Swiss Abroad in Basel, he discusses young people, women and billionaires.
Faced with an aging population, reduced economic growth and low interest rates, the government and a parliamentary majority are calling for a sweeping reform of the old-age social security system to ensure that pensions can still be paid for in years to come. The package, “Old Age Security 2020”, will go to a nationwide vote on September 24.

Alain Berset: For the younger generation, the worst situation would be for nothing to happen. Today the young generation pays into the second pillar [see box]: every year around CHF1.3 billion ($1.34 billion) is redistributed in favour of the older generation. That’s completely unfair. If you want to abolish this injustice, you have to accept these reforms.

A second point involves the first pillar: there’s a deficit in the first pillar. What will happen to the younger generation if nothing changes? They will continue to make contributions and in ten to 15 years have to reduce the debt. So young people will be asked to pay up twice.
swissinfo.ch: From 2019, new recipients of the old-age pension will get an additional CHF70 per month. Why must millionaires and billionaires also receive this increase, and not just those who need it?

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