Belgium’s Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, is reportedly considering reforming the country’s first pillar pension system to set a minimum pension level of €1,500 but to be eligible, citizens must have worked for 20 years over their lifetime.

As reported in Belgian publication, Le Soir, the president of Prime Minister De Croo’s political party, Egbert Lachaert, announced the party’s proposal earlier this week setting on the conditions for eligibility of a €1,500 minimum pension.

“Today, this condition does not exist; we have access to a minimum pension if we have a career of at least 30 years, but it could very well be 30 years of unemployment. Now that we are going to increase the minimum pension, we must put a limit. Otherwise, we create an additional injustice with regard to people who have worked all their lives,” Lachaert said in an interview.

Despite this, Prime Minister De Croo, who previously served as the country’s Minister for Pensions between 2012 and 2014, has not yet given details of the reform on the government’s agenda. Current Minister for Pensions in Belgium’s seven-party coalition government, Karine Lalieux (Socialist Party), has said she is waiting for this.

As reported by Le Soir, De Croo, said: “In the government's programme it is clearly stated that we are going to look at a minimum number of years before a person is entitled to a minimum pension. It makes perfect sense to me. How many, and how are these years to be fulfilled? This will be part of the discussions within the government during the coming months.”

He said that over the next few weeks, the proposals will be examined in government and discussions will take place between ministers. “Then we will make the right decision,” De Croo said.

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