Paris (AFP)

It had not happened for a long time: the left, gathered except for LFI, managed to agree on joint proposals for "another pension reform", presented Wednesday with the promise to work together on other subjects.

It was not the return of the union of the left, or even of the "plural left", which made the heyday of the socialists and communists at the end of the last century. But it still looks like a first. "After our joint meeting in Saint-Denis (December 11), we worked to perfect our common platform," said Fabien Roussel, number one of the PCF, during a press conference at the Assembly.

When had they not worked together? "It's been years," replied Mr. Roussel evasively, the others shaking their heads, visibly also unable to remember precisely.

Twelve components of the current left, PCF, PS, EELV, to which were joined smaller formations (Generations, Public place, Together, Democratic and social Left ...), discussed several weeks to agree on a series of proposals intended to show that "another reform than that of the government is possible".

However, France Insoumise is missing. Like the PS, PCF, EELV, LFI wrote his own project but unlike them, did not want to join the "common platform", even if, as a whole, member of the galaxy of the Insubmissives, Clémentine Autain is one of the signatories. Ditto for Caroline Fiat, from the Republican and Socialist Left, also attached to LFI.

Similarly, the Union of Democrats and Ecologists is not a member, although one of its members, François-Michel Lambert, is also an individual signatory.

- "Getting out of the vice" -

Two days before the examination of the government project in the Council of Ministers, "we make our proposals because the expectation of the French is extremely strong to get out of the noose between liberals (macronists) and nationalists" of the RN, says AFP Boris Vallaud, spokesperson for the PS.

Vallaud predicts that the parliamentary debate in February "will be bad." "The project is badly put together" and "the government plans to pass a third of its law into prescriptions!".

The "platform" constitutes a kind of smallest common denominator for the twelve organizations, since voluntarily, they have skipped point retirement, the PCF in particular being opposed to it, just like a part of EELV (as well as LFI) , unlike the PS. Another subject of disagreement: age measures. But if they defend "different options" in this connection, they demand together "the end of any new measure consisting in extending the duration of contributions".

"Despite our disagreements, we have decided to work together to propose a new path" towards "a progressive pension reform", insist the signatories. "It is a fair project and not just a project," said Olivier Faure, first secretary of the PS.

The "six pillars for new rights" they put on the table aim to "improve the pay-as-you-go system", "guarantee a healthy pension right", "establish a" golden rule "for parity of the standard of living between retirees and workers, in the public as well as in the private sector, ensuring "better consideration of arduousness", a "minimum retirement at the minimum wage" and "equality in careers and wages" between men and women.

All this is accompanied by financing measures, notably extended to capital income.

"Today's work is a promise," assured Pierre Laurent, former PCF national secretary, considering other joint work on "major social issues: climate, hospital, national education ..." .

© 2020 AFP