Cabinet of Ministers Rejected a Draft Law on Early Retirement for Mothers with Many Children due to the Budgetary Burden

The Cabinet of Ministers believes that since women live longer on average, this measure could put additional pressure on the budget. The government has given a negative opinion on a new legislative initiative to reduce the retirement age for mothers with many children, according to logos-pres.md. The authors of the project, MPs from the PCRM faction, argue that Moldova is facing an acute demographic crisis. The annual population decline is estimated to be around 1.1-2%. According to forecasts, the country’s population could decrease by 28% by 2035 due to low birth rates and rapid population aging. The demographic decline is attributed, among other factors, to the low birth rates in recent years, with an average of only 1.6-1.65 children per woman of reproductive age. The bill proposes the following measures to be implemented on July 1, 2026: - women who have given birth to and raised 3-4 children will be able to retire 3 years earlier than the established retirement age; - women with 5 or more children will be eligible to retire 5 years earlier than the standard retirement age. The authors argue that this measure will serve as a form of social support for mothers who have experienced career interruptions and lower incomes due to childcare, as well as indirectly encourage higher birth rates. Additionally, the project provides socio-economic data, including significant differences in employment rates between women with and without children, as well as lower average pensions for women.