The French government reiterated on Monday the validity of its proposal to reform pensions, despite the demonstrations against it by more than a million people last Thursday.
Despite the majority rejection of public opinion, the government reiterated its proposal to delay the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030 and bring forward to 2027 the increase in the years of contribution necessary to collect a full pension (from 42 to 43). .
“The age measures that we adopt are those that will allow us to balance the system [de pensiones] in 2030″, said the Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, at a press conference, who acknowledged a “disagreement” on these points with the unions.
The National Assembly (lower house) will begin debating the bill from February 6, before it reaches the Senate (upper house). Left-wing parties and the far-right opposition have announced that they will vote against it.
To approve it, the ruling party, which lost its absolute majority in June, could count on the support of Los Republicanos (LR, right), in favor of a reform, or resort to two controversial mechanisms to try to adopt it without putting it to a vote.
“I wish that the government with the legislators […] They can work on the text and adjust it,” said the liberal president on Sunday, who nevertheless called for “advancing” since there have already been changes since the delay at 65 years of age that he proposed in the electoral campaign.
This reform is one of the measures that President Macron promised during the campaign that led to his re-election in April, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to abandon a first attempt.
The eight main French unions oppose it and called a new day of protests on January 31 after the success of last Thursday. “We hope to do better,” CGT leader Philippe Martinez told the media.
The retirement age in France is one of the lowest in Europe. If the reform is successful, France would be close to the 65 years of Spain or the 67 of Denmark.
