The National Council voted in favour of two bills concerning Survivor’s Pensions in the public and private sectors, during a public session on 29 June 2026. The new laws mean that a surviving spouse, regardless of gender, may receive a portion of the deceased spouse’s retirement pension. The meeting was also a chance for the Minister of State to discuss the future of same-sex unions in the Principality. According to Christophe Mirmand, a law recognising same-sex unions is currently being discussed by the Government of Monaco.
Keeping up with Society
Laws no. 1120 and 1121 aim to strengthen equality between women and men by eliminating disparities in survivor’s pensions outlined in the original law. The old law concerning survivor’s pension (No. 455 of June 1947) had more restrictive conditions for widowers than for widows. For men, eligibility was contingent upon reaching the age of 65, or 60 in cases of permanent incapacity for work, except when there is a dependent child. For men, the pension could’ve been suspended if the child was no longer dependant. Conversely, widows were able to receive the survivor’s pension from the age of 50, or immediately upon the death of their spouse if there is a dependent child, without risk of suspension of pension payments.
The distinction reflected the social circumstances of the post-war period, but no longer reflects contemporary society. Christophe Mirmand spoke about these societal progressions during his speech in front of the National Council on 29 June. He spoke about women contributing, just like men, to the household’s economic stability and how the death of one spouse can lead to a substantial loss of living standards for the surviving spouse, regardless of gender. He also said that maintaining a difference in treatment between widowers and widows no longer appears justified.
“The Prince’s Government did not wish for the elimination of this inequality to be to the detriment of women, by calling into question the conditions that currently apply to them for entitlement to a survivor’s pension. Therefore, the law applies the same conditions of entitlement to widowers,” said the Princely Government in a press release.
Comprising of three articles, the new bill now uses the term “surviving spouse” instead of distinguishing between widows and widowers. For example: “This right begins either at the age of fifty, or from the day of the spouse’s death if the surviving spouse has at least one dependent child.”
Both bills were passed with 20 votes in favour and one abstention (from L’Union representative Christophe Brico).
Paving the way for same-sex unions in Monaco
Christophe Mirmand spoke about the government considering a civil union law for same-sex couples and the recognition and protection of same-sex unions. Currently, Monaco does not recognise same-sex marriages, even for couples who have relocated to the Principality from other countries. Since 27 June 2020, same‑sex couples have been able to enter into cohabitation agreements that confer certain, limited rights.
Same‑sex couples cannot jointly adopt a child either, and only the biological parent is recognised under Monegasque law, creating significant gaps in parental authority for the non‑biological partner. The Minister of State also addressed this disparity, saying that the protection of the rights of children from same-sex parent families is something the government has been discussing for the past several months.
