Denmark raises retirement age to the highest in Europe, sparking fury: 'No time to be with grandchildren!'
Denmark is set to raise the retirement age to 70 - a move that has been heavily criticised by to-be pensioners.
The Scandinavian country has tied the new retirement age to life expectancy, only affecting those who were born after 1971.
The cap will rise from the current retirement age of 67 to 68 in 2030 and then to 69 in 2025.
Tommas Jensen told Danish media 'we're working and working and working, but we can't keep going'.
'I've paid my taxes all my life. There should also be time to be with children and grandchildren.'
The 47-year-old roofer went on to say the move was 'unreasonable' and highlighted the difference between working a desk job and jobs that are demanding of the body.
The Danish government has been revising the retirement age every five years for the last two decades, with this new rule passed through their parliament yesterday 81 votes in favour to 21 against.
But the Social Democrat Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously said these numbers would be renegotiated.
She said: 'We no longer believe that the retirement age should be increased automatically.'
She added that her party believed 'you can't just keep saying that people have to work a year longer'.
Protests have been taking place in Copenhagen over the last few weeks as trade unions stood against the new changes.
The chairman of a Danish trade union confederation, Jesper Ettrup Rasmussen, said ahead of the vote on Thursday that the proposal was 'completely unfair'.
'A higher retirement age means that [people will] lose the right to a dignified senior life.'
'Denmark has a healthy economy and yet the EU's highest retirement age,' he added.
Retirement ages across Europe have been rising in recent years to meet budget deficits as well as the improved life expectancy.
Brits born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960 can begin to receive their pension from 66 but this will raise to 67 for people born after this period.
This could increase as the State Pension age will also be repeatedly reviewed in the UK to address longer life expectancy.
By comparison, people in Sweden can start claiming pension benefits from 63.
But for those living in Italy, they will have to wait until they are 67 to receive their pension.
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