Poland’s government has ruled out raising the retirement age in the face of strong public opposition, a senior official said Wednesday, as demographic pressures and pension system costs fuel a national debate.
Sebastian Gajewski, deputy minister of family, labor and social policy, told the 35th Economic Forum in Karpacz that authorities should not push reforms rejected by society. “The Polish public does not support increasing the retirement age,” Gajewski said, adding that current and future governments must respect voters’ views .
The statement comes as Poland grapples with an aging population and a pension system strained by low birth rates. A recent survey by *Rzeczpospolita* found 51.8% of Poles refuse to delay retirement, while 25.8% would work five extra years only for a higher pension. Women showed more willingness to extend careers than men: 30% of women versus 23% of men said they would work five additional years .
Experts warn the current system risks widening gender gaps and financial strain. Marcin Materna, investment advisor and director at Millennium Dom Maklerski, noted that men already work five years longer than women, calling this “open discrimination.” He argued that without addressing existing pension privileges, calls to delay retirement are unfair .
Meanwhile, data from Poland’s Social Insurance Institution shows a growing trend of workers postponing retirement. In 2025, one in four future retirees chose to delay, with potential pension increases ranging from 14% for one extra year to 80% for five additional years of work .
Economists insist reform is unavoidable. Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak, pro-rector at Warsaw’s SGH, said failing to raise the retirement age—particularly for women—would deepen pension gaps and force more women into minimal benefits, increasing state subsidies. She noted that while pension spending projections have stabilized, this comes at the cost of benefit adequacy, especially for women .
