A Spanish retiree named José Rodríguez Menguini has urged the government to end pension cuts applied to workers who contributed for more than four decades.
Rodríguez Menguini, known as Pepe, said that his monthly payments were cut by 24 percent after he took early retirement, despite having contributed to the social security system for 45 years, seven months and one day.
He directed his appeal directly to Elma Saiz, the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, demanding an immediate solution that includes individuals who are already retired rather than leaving them waiting for parliamentary debates.
The pensioner made his plea in a video published in January 2026 on the YouTube channel of Asjubi40, an association dedicated to eliminating financial penalties for workers who have paid contributions for 40 years or more. Rodríguez Menguini introduced himself as a rank-and-file member and collaborator of the group, and Spanish news outlets including elEconomista have also highlighted his case.
In the recording, he said he had accumulated more than 45 years of contributions and lost 24 percent of his pension each month. He did not share the date of his retirement, the monetary amount he receives, or the official resolution calculating his benefit, meaning the 24 percent figure rests entirely on his personal account.
Referring to earlier public statements by Saiz regarding the use of executive decrees for social measures, Rodríguez Menguini questioned why she did not act at once. He asked why she did not sign an end to this discrimination today if she had the power to do so, insisting that the government must prevent further bureaucratic delays.
Social Security Rules and Reduction Coefficients
Spain's Social Security administration explains that early retirement pensions are reduced using statutory coefficients based on two factors: the number of months retirement is brought forward and the total contribution period. Demonstrating more than 40 years of contributions does not automatically remove these reductions under current rules, although the total working career is included in the calculation.
The system is administered by the National Social Security Institute, known in Spain as the INSS. Under national pension legislation, workers must reach the statutory retirement age to claim a full pension without deductions. Those who step down ahead of schedule face permanent monthly cuts designed to offset the additional years of state support they receive.
Because Rodríguez Menguini has not published his official administrative file, observers and officials cannot verify the exact origin of the 24 percent reduction. In Spain, early retirement reduction rates vary significantly depending on whether an exit from the workforce was voluntary or involuntary, as well as the exact number of months advanced.
Parliamentary Votes on Early Retirement
The retiree based his appeal on earlier parliamentary moves that have not yet translated into binding pension reform. In November 2025, the Congress of Deputies approved a motion to allow individuals with more than 40 years of contributions to retire without financial penalties, passing with 180 votes in favour and 170 abstentions.
That vote in Spain's lower house was a non-binding political declaration. It did not change the statutory regulations governing retirement, nor did it order the social security administration to recalculate pensions for citizens who had already left employment.
Proposed Legislation and Calls for Action
Parliament addressed the issue again on 22 September 2026, when the Congress of Deputies voted to take into consideration a bill aimed at removing reduction coefficients for claimants who can verify 40 years of contributions. The proposed law would also authorise existing retirees to request a recalculation from the INSS, with any increases taking effect from the date of application.
The September vote marked only the beginning of the parliamentary procedure for the bill. In the Spanish legislative process, a bill taken into consideration must undergo committee scrutiny, amendment stages, and further debates before it can pass into law.
In his video, Rodríguez Menguini recalled the parliamentary support received in November 2025, pointing out that lawmakers had said yes to their demands at that time. He declared that retirees were not bargaining chips in political debate and urged the minister to resolve the problem by royal decree for everyone who has already retired.
