Denmark is set to have the highest retirement age in Europe after lawmakers approved a controversial bill raising the age to 70 by 2040 — sparking backlash from workers and unions alike.
The law, passed Thursday with 81 votes in favour and 21 against, ties retirement age to life expectancy — a system introduced in 2006 and revised every five years. Currently at 67, Denmark’s retirement age will rise to 68 by 2030, 69 by 2035, and 70 by 2040 for those born after 31 December 1970.
While the policy reflects a longer-living population and aims to balance pension budgets, critics say it ignores the realities faced by physically demanding professions.
Tommas Jensen, a 47-year-old roofer, spoke for many blue-collar Danes: “We’re working and working, but we can’t keep going. There should also be time for family — I’ve paid taxes all my life.”
The move comes despite previous comments from Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who said last year that automatic increases were no longer sustainable. “You can’t just keep saying people have to work a year longer,” she said.
Trade unions led protests in Copenhagen, denouncing the change as unjust. Jesper Ettrup Rasmussen, a trade union leader, said: “Denmark has a healthy economy and yet the EU’s highest retirement age. This strips people of the right to a dignified old age.”
European nations are increasingly raising retirement ages. France faced nationwide protests after raising the age to 64 last year, while Sweden and the UK are also adjusting theirs.
As Kenya and other African countries eye pension reform, Denmark’s move offers a cautionary tale: economic sustainability must be weighed against the dignity of ageing workers.
