Since old-age programmes mitigate life-course risks that are relevant to individuals across socio-economic groups in ageing societies, all parties have a political incentive to support these... Show moreSince old-age programmes mitigate life-course risks that are relevant to individuals across socio-economic groups in ageing societies, all parties have a political incentive to support these initiatives. Nevertheless, pre-existing partisan commitments bind the policy instruments that parties use. Cabinet-level analyses of OECD economies demonstrate that left incumbency relies more on public expenditure than right-wing governments. What is more important is that, in the context of large elderly populations, pension coverage is greater under right-leaning governments, while pension replacement rates are higher in left-leaning governments. This shows that party behaviour related to life course-related policies cannot be explained by the conventional pro-expansion versus the pro-retrenchment partisan politics. Rather, a focus on partisan variation in the use of policy instruments is required. Show less
Long-term trends, such as the aging of the population, the increased life-expectancy, and the consequences of the recent financial crisis, have raised concerns about the sustainability of pension... Show moreLong-term trends, such as the aging of the population, the increased life-expectancy, and the consequences of the recent financial crisis, have raised concerns about the sustainability of pension systems. Consequently, many OECD countries have proposed and implemented reforms to alleviate the pension system from the pressure of demographic aging and to create sustainable pension systems for the future. Many of the reforms implemented are related to increasing both the statutory and effective retirement age, making pension benefits less generous and increasing contributions. As a consequence, the proposed and implemented reforms have raised a lot of discussion about the financial position of current and future retirees. This thesis collects five studies regarding Pensions, Retirement, and the Financial Position of the Elderly and aims to understand the effects of aging on people’s retirement behavior and the adequacy of their (future) pensions. The thesis focuses on the role of selfemployment and part-time employment in retirement behavior and the financial resources available at retirement. Show less