German chancellor aims to reduce early retirement

"The number of those who can really work up to pensionable age needs to be raised," the chancellor said in remarks published on Sunday by the Funke media group and the French newspaper Ouest-France. "For this to work, we need to expand all-day services in childcare and schools," he added, reported dpa.

According to the official population research institute, an increasing number of workers in Germany are seeking early retirement, leaving the labour market at 63 or 64, even as German companies report a skills shortage. The official retirement age is set to rise gradually from 65 to 67 by the year 2031.

Scholz outlined government plans to create better starting opportunities for young people and to invest in professional and adult education. Scholz said Germany would in addition need immigration from other countries to secure its prosperity.

"For a long time, immigrants into Germany were treated as though they would leave the country again later. Gaining citizenship was not a priority," he said. "But we have long since become a country of immigration and wish now to get in line with international standards."

In many countries, citizenship was possible after five years, and that should become the standard in Germany, "if you can speak German, earn your own living and have not committed any crimes," Scholz said.

The centre-left coalition government has initiated reforms to ease rules on immigration and acquiring citizenship.