The retirement age has been increasing across Europe, as several countries adjust the system to the aging population. The Danish Parliament approved a reform that will progressively raise the age for access to the state pension (folkepension) up to 70 years from 2040, in a model that was already increasing the retirement age in stages and which is linked to the evolution of average life expectancy, according to the Danish Ministry of Employment.
The measure was approved by 81 votes in favor and 21 against and places Denmark at the top of the European Union in terms of legal retirement age, according to information provided by the international press.
Calendar until 2040: what changes and for whom
Currently, the state pension age in Denmark is 67 years old, according to official information from the Danish state on folkepension. The calendar already foreseen points to an increase to 68 years in 2030 and to 69 years in 2035, until reaching 70 years from 2040.
The 70-year threshold will not be the same for all generations: it applies to citizens born after January 1, 1971. This does not prevent someone from stopping working before that age, but it means that the reference for access to the state pension becomes later for these generations.
The sustainability argument and criticism
The Government and advocates of the reform justify the increase with the need to guarantee the sustainability of the system in a context of demographic aging and increased longevity, in a mechanism in which the retirement age is reviewed periodically.
The contestation, however, has grown especially in more physically demanding sectors, with unions and political forces warning about the impact on manual professions. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has already expressed reservations about the automatism of the model, saying, in statements cited by Lusa to the Danish newspaper Berlingske: “We cannot continue to tell people that they have to work another year”.
And Portugal: what the law says in 2026 and 2027
In Portugal, the normal age for access to the old-age pension is set in accordance with article 20 of Decree-Law no. 187/2007 and is implemented by decree published in .
For 2026, it is set at 66 years and 9 months, according to Ordinance No. 358/2024/1. For 2027, Ordinance No. 476/2025/1 establishes the normal age for accessing the old-age pension at 66 years and 11 months.
Despite different models, the underlying debate is similar: how to balance financial sustainability and social justice, especially for long careers and tougher professions, in a scenario with an older population.
Also read:
