Concòrdia stays on pension reform commission, warns against burdening younger generations

The Concòrdia parliamentary group will remain part of the working commission on pension reform, its president Cerni Escalé told the Consell General during debate on the 2026 budget. Escalé said the party “remains committed to the debate on pensions” and argued that reforms of this scale require broad, cross‑party agreements built around a minimum common denominator of shared programme elements to ensure long‑term sustainability.

Escalé accused the government and majority groups of consulting opposition parties selectively — involving them when measures could be harmful but not when increases to pensions or wages are decided. He urged the executive to act responsibly both when proposing measures that benefit citizens and when introducing those that could affect public well‑being.

Concòrdia criticised proposals expected from the majority, notably a plan to raise the statutory retirement age to 67 for people currently under 45. Escalé warned that the burden of recent pension policy must not fall on younger generations and rejected measures that would delay retirement only for those now under 45. He also opposed shifting costs onto youth through higher contributions while housing prices continue to rise, arguing that current contribution levels cover only a small portion of the pensions ultimately paid — a situation he described as unsustainable.

Despite its objections, the party said it will stay in the commission to help build the cross‑party consensus needed to design a long‑term, fair pension system that distributes costs responsibly across generations rather than imposing disproportionate burdens on future cohorts.

The government, represented by Prime Minister Xavier Espot, has insisted that the reform must include complementary schemes beyond the Caixa Andorrana de Seguretat Social (CASS). Espot described the creation of a “second pillar” — pension funds funded by workers and employers outside CASS — as ineludible to guarantee retirement benefits for younger generations, while urging opposition groups to present their models within the commission.

Espot said the success of reform will depend on the gradual implementation of a package of measures. He indicated the majority is working on a model intended to ensure sustainability, guarantee future pensions and reinforce equity, and signalled the reform package is likely to include increases in contributions, an adjustment to the retirement age and changes to the value of the pension point. He warned that, unless supplemented by private savings, younger workers could expect lower public pensions and therefore may need complementary pension plans.

Both Concòrdia and the government framed participation in the commission as a way to shape the final package: Concòrdia to defend intergenerational equity and protect younger workers from disproportionate costs, and the government to promote a mixed public–private framework and a phased set of measures aimed at long‑term viability.