The retirement age continues to rise in several European countries, but Denmark has taken a step that puts it at the center of the debate: Parliament approved a progressive increase in the age for accessing the state pension up to 70 years from 2040. The measure makes this country the first in the European Union to set this level and will apply to people born after December 31, 1970.
The decision was approved with 81 votes in favor and 21 against, in a model that already linked the retirement age to the evolution of life expectancy. Currently, the Danish state pension remains set at 67 years, but the calendar foresees an increase to 68 in 2030, 69 in 2035 and 70 in 2040.
This does not mean that no one can stop working before this age, but it does mean that the legal reference for access to the public pension will be later for these generations. The change thus once again puts pressure on the European debate around the sustainability of pension systems and the real impact of these reforms on the lives of those with long careers or more physically demanding professions.
What changes and for whom
The increase to 70 years old will not be applied equally to the entire population. According to information provided about the reform, the new level will now cover citizens born after January 1, 1971, that is, those born after December 31, 1970.
In practice, Denmark maintains the model of periodic review of the legal retirement age, adjusting it according to the longevity of the population. This system has been in force since 2006 and was designed to try to preserve the financial balance of the public pension system over time.
The logic is simple: if the population lives longer, they also work longer. Still, this equation is far from reaching consensus, especially among workers in more exhausting sectors, who consider it unfair to extend working lives in the same way for all professions. This reading is an inference supported by the public debate described in the sources consulted.
Sustainability on one side, criticism on the other
Proponents of the measure argue that demographic aging and increased life expectancy make an adaptation of the system inevitable. Without this adjustment, they say, the financial pressure on pensions would be increasingly greater in the coming decades.
On the other hand, criticism has been especially strong among unions and sectors linked to manual work. The main objection is that not everyone reaches the age of 70 with the same physical capacity, which makes this rise particularly sensitive for those who perform more demanding roles.
The Danish Prime Minister herself, Mette Frederiksen, has already expressed reservations about the automatism of this model. Quoted by the press, she stated that people cannot continue to be told that they simply need to work another year, signaling political discomfort with future automatic raises.
And in Portugal?
In Portugal, the normal age for accessing the old-age pension is set at 66 years and 9 months in 2026, according to Social Security and .
For 2027, the age increases to 66 years and 11 months, in accordance with Ordinance No. 476/2025/1, maintaining the national update model based on average life expectancy.
Although the models are different, the underlying debate is similar to that in other European countries: how to guarantee the sustainability of the system without ignoring inequalities between careers, salaries, professions and health conditions. As the population ages, “timely” retirement is likely to become an increasingly sensitive discussion across Europe.
Also read:
