Big surprise on pension reform: Emmanuel Macron is no longer in favor of introducing a 64 years old to benefit from a full pension. Monday night on France 2, the head of state discussed the establishment of a pension system where the calculation of the rights would be linked to the only contribution period.
This is a spectacular and completely unexpected opening that the President is making towards the unions. In mid-July, High Commissioner Jean-Paul Delevoye, in charge of the reform, proposed the establishment of a pivotal age of 64 years. The legal age of 62 would have been retained for retirement but with a discount of 5% on the amount of pensions for those leaving before age 64, and a premium for those leaving after. For the trade unions, this system was de facto raising the age of retirement to 64 years.
The ball in the union camp
From now on, the President of the Republic intends to agree with the unions and the employers on a longer period of contribution, rather than a pivotal age, a track that had not been rejected by Jean-Paul Delevoye . Logical argument advanced by Emmanuel Macron: those who started working later because of their studies will leave later, and the others sooner.
In doing so, the Head of State is already opening the game for the negotiations, which are due to start in early September with the social partners. "Nothing is decided," assured Emmanuel Macron. Today, the contribution period is 43 years. You can decide to increase it rather than set a higher retirement age. Social partners to choose. It is a major political gesture. However, with one unavoidable constraint: the system will have to be in equilibrium in 2025.