Constitutional Court upholds government's pension reform

The Constitutional Court has upheld a controversial amendment tightening conditions for early retirement, rejecting a motion filed by the opposition ANO party to annul the legislation. The court ruled that both the substance of the reform and the manner in which it was passed were in line with the Constitution.

The amendment, pushed through by the government majority, was approved despite opposition obstruction. The ruling coalition ended the parliamentary debate before all registered MPs had spoken, a move the court found legal, noting that even priority speakers do not have unlimited time to address the chamber.

The legislation, which came into effect earlier this year, slows pension indexation and restricts the conditions for early retirement. According to the government, the aim was to curb state debt and reduce public spending.

ANO argued that the law undermines the rule of law by violating legal certainty and the principle of legitimate expectations, especially for those who had already qualified for early retirement but had not yet claimed it. The motion to repeal the amendment was signed by all 71 ANO MPs.