Controversial social security reform bill to demand 49 years for full retirement pension in Brazil

A proposal for a reform of Brazil's social security system, presented on Tuesday by the government, will, if approved, require citizens to work 49 years in order to retire with a full pension.

The reform aims to establish an age requirement for retirement, regardless of how many years a person has contributed for the system.

Under the proposed rules, in order to retire at the minimum age -- 65 years old, regardless of gender -- a person would have to start working at 16 and not miss a single monthly payment, which implies no unemployment during that period.

In addition, a worker would need a minimum of 25 years of contribution in order to retire, regardless of age. Men aged over 50 and women over 45 would fall under a less strict rule, but still not the current retirement regulations.

The new rules would be enforced only for civil workers, not for the military, another controversial aspect, as the government spends considerably more per pension with the military than with civilians. In addition, single daughters of military officers receive a lifelong pension -- a rule long extinct in all other segments.

The proposal was met with distrust, open hostility and disbelief. In a twist of irony, President Michel Temer himself filed for retirement at 55, with a hefty pension above the limit of the social security system.

The retirement with a large pension, at a relatively young age, is something he now aims to deny to regular citizens, many of whom would die before they manage to enjoy retirement, if the bill is approved.

The government expects the social security reform bill to be voted in the Congress in the first half of 2017. This is only the latest of several highly controversial measures pushed by the federal administration since Temer took office in a permanent fashion, in August, following the impeachment of his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff. Endi