A few hours earlier, Emmanuel Macron had announced an increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64 years – The eight major trade unions are talking about a “strong permanent mobilization”
France’s eight biggest unions have tonight announced a first day of strike action and demonstrations, on January 19, in protest at the pension reform plan which mainly sees the retirement age raised by two years from 62 to 64.
This first day “will give the trigger for a strong and lasting mobilization”, the unions say in their joint statement.
Earlier, their general secretaries and presidents met in Paris to discuss the bill being promoted by the French government.
The announcement of the new pension by Macron
French people will have to work two more years to retire, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced today, unveiling unpopular pension reform that will test President Emmanuel Macron’s ability to bring about change.
The French government will push through a bill that would raise the retirement age to 64 from the current 62 by 2030.
According to a poll by Odoxa, four out of five French people oppose the change, at a time when many are already facing a cost-of-living crisis.
“I am well aware that the change of the pension system raises questions and fears among the French,” Bourne said at the press conference she gave. He added that the government will try to convince citizens that the reform is necessary. “Today we are proposing a plan to balance the pension, a fair plan,” he said.
That change was a mainstay of Macron’s reform agenda when he was elected president in 2017. But the first attempt was stalled in 2020 as the government struggled to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
The second attempt is not expected to be any easier.
The president and prime minister will also have to pass the reform through parliament, where they do not have an absolute majority. Today, this looks less difficult than it was a few weeks ago, after the government made some concessions to the Conservative Republicans (LR). Even so, Republicans are not united on this issue, and every vote will count.
With one of the lowest retirement ages among industrialized nations, France spends more on pensions than almost any other country, about 14 percent of its economic output, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
According to Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, the French government estimates that it will benefit from this reform by 17.7 billion euros by 2030. Lemaire’s statement came shortly after the prime minister presented her proposal, which would see the retirement age rise gradually, by three months each year, until it reaches 64.
RES-EMP
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
