> the granny example is explicitly not permitted

This is totally wrong.

The granny can get her pension anywhere in the EU, no "independent wealth" required.

There are some restrictions if you have no means to support yourself and require benefits, but the restrictions are definitely not as broad as "granny needs much money on her bank account"

Read: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/ju... and links contained therein

not all grannies are of pensionable age

your linked page alludes to this, without details

> In order to stay in another EU country for more than three months, EU citizens have to meet certain conditions depending on their status (for example worker, self-employed, student, etc.) and may be asked to comply with administrative formalities.

if you follow the wizard on your page you get this:

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/residence-ri...

If you move somewhere to work at age 62 and then retire at 65, can you stay there? Do you have to become a citizen first?

(Just curious; I know this is a tangent!)

Presumably you would have built up a pension in your previous country, which you can draw from. That would satisfy the requirement for an independent source of income. When Britain was in the EU it was (and still is) common for pensioners to live in Spain.

The comment you're responding to is wrong. Yes of course you can stay there, you can even move there post-retirement. You just can't get the very lowest level of benefits unless you've lived there for long enough.

You gain the right to permanent residence after 5 years of residence under the other conditions.

The 65 year old would need to live from their pension for a couple more years.