October 2019

Bank of Estonia: Pension reform to unsettle economy

Governor of the Bank of Estonia Madis Müller, financial stability department head Jaak Tõrs and monetary policy and economic studies dept. chief Martti Randveer explained the effects of changing the pension system on tax burden, growth, financial stability and future pensions at a press conference. The Bank of Estonia presented its initial effects analysis today, work on which began immediately after the extent of planned changes accompanying plans of rendering the second pension pillar voluntary became clear. The central...

France. Macron seeks to placate French over pension reforms

French President Emmanuel Macron sought to ease fears over his controversial pension reform Thursday in a debate with concerned citizens over the plan that has sparked protests by train drivers, pilots, lawyers, doctors and police. Macron’s move to modernise France’s retirement system is part of an election pledge to put the country on a solid financial footing — a mission that calls for painful changes in a country where many people have seen their spending power decline. Macron’s government...

Why the Future of Brazil’s Economy Rides on Pensions

Latin America’s largest economy, Brazil, is closer than ever to overhauling its costly pension system. That’s been the focus of the first sustained legislative drive by President Jair Bolsonaro, his economic team and allies. Efforts to muster support for a major reform failed under previous administrations. Now, Brazil’s Senate is set to approve changes that could boost the nation’s public finances and open the door to a virtuous cycle of expansion. 1. Why is pension reform so important? Brazil’s pension...

Trying Wall Street’s Patience, Brazil Postpones Pension

Brazil is trying Wall Street’s patience. Last Wednesday, the Senate was scheduled to vote on a much touted, and much needed, pension reform bill. Then it was postponed to Thursday. It didn’t happen on Friday. It is now supposed to go up for a vote on Tuesday, Senate leaders said. The market for Brazil equities has been in a holding pattern all week waiting for this vote; a vote that is supposed to be a lopsided win for president Jair Bolsonaro...

June 2019

The political economy of pension reform

By Sarah Brooks, Duke University, Estelle James, World Bank It has become apparent that many policies that we recommend at the Bank for technical economic reasons have not been implemented for political reasons. This discrepancy between economics and politics has led the Bank, and the academic community, to begin thinking about the political economy of reform. Considerable work has already been done on the political economy of macro-economic reform and trade policy, emphasizing factors such as incomplete information,...