More generally, focus on policies that boost economic growth: trade less austerity in the short term for medium-term adjustments, such as a higher retirement age.

ECONOMIST: Capitalism and its critics

In its annual report to ministers, it said in the medium term "higher inward migration would tend to increase tax receipts and not add much to age-related spending pressures, even whilst allowing for an increase in GDP from extra employment".

BBC: England and Wales population up

Mr Miller's economics minister, Jerzy Hausner, has produced a medium-term plan for belt-tightening that includes bold structural reforms, such as raising the retirement age for women to that for men, and the trimming of automatic indexation of some benefits.

ECONOMIST: Polish politics