In a discussion with Wirtualna Polska, Katarzyna Kotula, who describes herself as the Minister of Equality, addressed claims that the pension system is unfair and that the retirement age should be equalized and raised. The question hanging in the air was whether such an announcement signaled policy moves toward a uniform retirement age or further changes to the law. The interview touched on the broader scope of her role in the new government and what her job entails in practice. A journalist noted that Kotula’s duties appear to overlap with several other ministries, highlighting the cross-cutting nature of the responsibilities she assumes.
Kotula explained that her work would involve scrutinizing how new laws and regulations affect people, paying particular attention to whether anything in emerging legislation might be discriminatory. She also said she would push colleagues to include specific provisions that would correct or catch up with areas neglected in recent years, aiming to ensure more equitable policies across different groups.
Regarding partnerships, including same-sex partnerships, Kotula addressed questions raised by a morning broadcast that featured two same-sex couples, noting the public discourse around this topic. The conversation reflected a broader concern about how political parties handle issues affecting LGBT people, and whether some critics use the dialogue around this community to promote other aims rather than discussing real-life experiences of individuals. The interviewer suggested that much of the public reaction is shaped by personal stories and concrete examples rather than abstract ideology.
“An unequal retirement age discriminates against men”
The interview also focused on gender discrimination and the position of women in the labor market. Kotula acknowledged that the coalition agreement had not included provisions on abortion, and she spoke about the realities of women’s employment, including the prevalence of B2B contracts. She questioned whether these contracts truly reflect employees’ choices or if employers steer workers into them, pointing out that in some sectors such contracts are necessary or even unavoidable, such as in healthcare where resignation may be difficult. She argued that policy discussions must consider market dynamics and future implications for the pension system before deciding on drastic bans.
On the topic of pensions, Kotula was asked whether the retirement age for men and women might be harmonized in the near term. She described the pension system as unfair and said that the different retirement ages appear discriminatory toward men. She balanced this with concerns about age-based inequality and pointed out that women often live longer and, on average, receive smaller pensions, sometimes significantly so. She noted that proposals already put forward by the left advocate a form of widow’s pension to address some of these disparities.
She cautioned that while a discussion about equalizing retirement ages seems likely to occur, she did not see concrete plans for such a change at the moment. Still, she asserted that a reform direction would be studied to remove inequalities. Kotula emphasized the need to analyze how future policies could reduce disparities without prematurely committing to a specific timetable or outcome, suggesting a careful, data-driven approach to reform.
Looking back at past government promises, she recalled that earlier administrations also suggested that retirement ages would not be raised, and she observed that guarantees from those periods later faded. The question remained whether this government would face similar pressures or find a different way to address concerns about fairness, including potential support from allies when discussing these issues in public forums. The interview concluded with reflections on the evolving political stance toward retirement policy and social equality, underscoring the ongoing debate about how best to balance age, gender, and economic security in the pension framework. [attribution: Wirtualna Polska interview]