People living longer is seen as a societal triumph, while at the same time population ageing is perceived as problematic. There is a belief that ageing is fiscally unsustainable, and that old people have the power to hold politicians to ransom at the expense of younger generations. This narrative paints a picture of an intergenerational conflict that only one side can win. It is not true. This brief shows that:
The politics of health and ageing vary from country to country and there are few narratives that apply consistently across Europe.
Some of the beliefs associated with population ageing are popular myths that are simply false:
There is little empirical evidence to support the claim that ageing societies’ health care systems are unsustainable.
It is equally inaccurate that older voters consistently elect politicians that support policies benefiting them at the expense of younger people.
Politicians do not pander to older voters with additional government-funded benefits. If anything, overall public expenditure in European countries is tilting away from older people and towards younger people.
Older voters are not a homogeneous group agreed on common interests; within countries they are diverse and have many different political identities and commitments.
Voter preferences rarely explain policy choices; instead, the politics of ageing are shaped by coalitions of interested parties that can support policies with mutually beneficial objectives.
These myths are created and magnified by policies and political systems, and can obscure other kinds of conflicts in the society, such as those around gender, income, wealth, nationality, ethnicity and race.
It is possible to construct politically powerful coalitions for life-course policies that invest in people’s health and wellbeing at all stages of life. Creating win–win solutions such as promoting healthy ageing can enable older people to participate in work, caring and society and benefit all groups.
© World Health Organization 2022 (acting as the host organization for, and secretariat of, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies).