Denmark raises retirement age to 70 — the highest in Europe

Denmark will soon have the highest retirement age in Europe. Lawmakers voted to raise it to 70 years old.

Parliament passed the bill on Thursday. The vote was 81 in favor and 21 against.

The new law affects people born after December 31, 1970. Currently, the average retirement age is 67. It can rise to 69 for those born on January 1, 1967, or later.

Employment Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen stated that the increase is necessary. It aims to ensure proper welfare for future generations.

Denmark has nearly 6 million residents. About 713,000 are aged between 60 and 69. Additionally, around 580,000 are aged between 70 and 79.

The Danish trade association F&P noted a trend of longer working lives. They reported more Danes working until or beyond retirement age.

Currently, about 80,000 people over retirement age are employed in Denmark. F&P attributes this to good economic conditions and flexible employers.

Jan V. Hansen from F&P acknowledged concerns about raising the age to 70 by 2040. However, he emphasized that many Danes want to keep working past retirement age.

The Red-Green Alliance criticized the decision as “unreasonably high.” They highlighted that many ministers enjoy better pension conditions at age 60.

Pelle Dragsted from the party called it incomprehensible and indefensible. He pointed out that physically demanding jobs may not allow workers to continue until age 70.

Denmark becomes the first European country with a national retirement age above the sixties. This change aligns its retirement age with Libya's, making it one of the highest globally.

In France, protests erupted in March against raising the retirement age to 64—six years below Denmark's new limit.

In September, China announced plans to raise its retirement ages as well. Men will retire at ages ranging from 60 to 63; women’s ages will vary based on occupation.

In the UK, the state pension age is set to rise to 67 by between 2026 and 2028. A review may push it up further to age 68.

The U.S. has a similar retirement age but allows some benefits starting at age 62. Better health and remote work options enable many Americans to work longer into old age.

However, financial necessity often drives them to stay employed past traditional retirement ages.