2026 Global Pension Index: Turkey ranked last in Europe
According to the 2026 Global Pension Index published by the Marsh CFA Institute, Turkey ranked last among the 19 European countries examined. While the Netherlands topped the list with a score of 85.8, the report highlights issues regarding sustainability and income adequacy in pension systems.
The 2026 Global Pension Index by the Marsh CFA Institute, which examines 55 pension systems covering 66% of the world's population, has been published. In the evaluation conducted based on the criteria of income adequacy, sustainability, and integrity, Turkey received the lowest score among European countries and ranked last.
The report stated that Turkey showed low performance in the categories of pension income adequacy, financing structure, and system sustainability. It was emphasized that the deterioration of the worker-to-retiree balance particularly complicates the financial structure of pay-as-you-go systems.
The Netherlands ranked first in the index for the fourth time with 85.8 points, followed by Denmark with 84.1 points and Iceland with 84 points. In countries such as Spain and France, distinct gaps were observed between income adequacy and long-term sustainability.
It is recommended that the retirement age be indexed to life expectancy in order to maintain the financial balance of social security systems. Experts state that public pension incomes must be supported by private savings and employer contributions, otherwise structural measures such as tax increases or benefit cuts may come to the agenda.
Sources
- cumhuriyet.com.tr · Link