Religion – Weltanschauung – Recht [ RWR ]

The applicant, Francisco Manzanas Martín, is a Spanish national who was born in 1926 and lives in Barcelona (Spain). He worked as a minister of the Evangelical Church until his retirement. He complained about a difference in treatment between Catholic priests and evangelical pastors in calculating pension entitlement.

Although priests could have their years of religious ministry taken into consideration in calculating their retirement pensions – provided that the relevant contributions had been paid – evangelical pastors could not have their years of pastoral employment prior to joining the social-security scheme taken into account. In its Chamber judgment, delivered on 3 April 2012, the Court held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) taken together with Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property).

The Court reserved the question of just satisfaction (article 41) for a future decision; it will rule on this question in its judgment of 5 March 2013.

Press release ECHR 059 (2013) 27/02/2013