Labour and Social Security Minister Nikē Kerameōs announced in Parliament the full and permanent abolition of the three-year reduction rule for widow’s pensions, as stipulated in the 2016 Katrikougalos Law.
What Changes Are Being Introduced?
The government has eliminated the automatic 35% cut to widow’s pensions that previously applied after three years — a provision introduced under the Katrikougalos Law. This change applies to all beneficiaries who were granted widow’s pensions after the law entered into force.
Those who had not yet been subjected to the cut will no longer face it — and will not be required to pay any retroactive amounts. In addition, the policy confirms that dual national pensions — such as when a widow receives both her own pension and a widow’s pension stemming from separate rights — will continue to be paid in full.
What Does This Mean in Practice?
Under the new arrangement, all eligible widow’s pension recipients covered by the Katrikougalos framework will continue receiving 70% of their late spouse’s pension beyond the three-year mark — with no reduction to 35%. No retroactive payments will be demanded.
For those who have already experienced the cut, their pensions will be restored to the 70% level. And for those anxiously awaiting a potential reduction in the near future, there will be none — the 70% rate is now guaranteed indefinitely.
Funding the Reform
Kerameōs highlighted that the reform is made possible by strong financial performance across social insurance funds. In 2025, the ministry exceeded its medium-term fiscal target by approximately €800 million — enabling earlier measures including significant tax rate reductions effective 1 January 2026 and the elimination of the long-standing personal allowance gap for pensioners.
Early data for January–April 2026 shows the system has already surpassed its annual target by €517 million — driven largely by the successful rollout of the digital employment card, now used by over 2.5 million workers.
A Step Toward Stability and Justice
According to Kerameōs, this measure resolves a longstanding source of uncertainty for thousands of widows and widowers. It ends a period of legal ambiguity and restores confidence in the rule of law — while strengthening protection for families who have lost a loved one.
Crucially, she stressed that the reform does not compromise the fiscal sustainability of Greece’s social security system. Rather, it reflects the fruits of economic growth, expanded formal employment, and more efficient administration of the pension framework.
“This is another government intervention that restores social justice, reinforces legal certainty, and definitively resolves an issue that has burdened vulnerable citizens for years,” Kerameōs concluded.