BERLIN (AP) — German lawmakers on Friday approved a pension-reform package that included a much-criticized provision for some people to retire early on full pensions.

Germany is raising the retirement age to 67 from 65, but it plans to allow people who have paid pension contributions for 45 years to retire at 63 without a financial hit. The latter policy met opposition from business leaders but was included at the insistence of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-left coalition partners.