Provision for the Old Age of Women in Germany and Switzerland

The erosion of social policies supporting the traditional breadwinner family has been a long-term trend in welfare reforms in Europe. The latest German pension reform is no exception to this trend. However, the intention to modernize pensions went hand-in-hand with a commitment to cost containment by the social democratic government. This article asks to what extent these two goals have been reconciled & whether the result is beneficial for women. Developments in Germany are compared with wider European trends & particularly with the pension reform in Switzerland, which has been acclaimed for its egalitarian nature. 39 References. Adapted from the source document.