French press review

In the spotlight: backpedaling on pensions

Audio 04:08

Emmanuel Macron said he was ready to review the retirement age, initially planned in his program "if there is too much tension" (Illustration image).

Thomas SAMSON / AFP

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

4 mins

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Will the hot topic of pensions be " 

the key to the vote?"

 asks

La Croix

.

“ 

In his quest for votes on the left for the second round, President-candidate Emmanuel Macron said he was ready to amend his pension reform project.

(…)

“If there is too much tension” 

and it can

 “build a consensus” 

(according to his own words), the outgoing president could consider lowering the new retirement age from 65 to 64 .

He also mentioned a

 "review clause in 2027"

, and even considered the possibility of a referendum.

 »

Bait the voters of Mélenchon...

All the way back?"

 “, also asks

Le Figaro

.

“ 

With the campaign for the second round of the presidential election barely launched, Emmanuel Macron is already giving the impression of walking backwards on pensions.

(…) Behind this reversal, his objective is very clear

 ”, considers the right-wing daily: “ 

to entice the voters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon who especially do not want to work until the age of 65, while their candidate promised them the skittle at 60 years

!

 »

Result, deplores

Le Figaro

 : “ 

the Macron of the between-two-towers turns left.

We sensed it.

But from there to slashing its most emblematic economic site, it's daring!

He takes the risk of angering his voters last Sunday without certainty of satisfying those of La France insoumise.

Above all, it seriously mortgages its reforming capacity already begun after the failure of its first attempt at a big pension night two years ago.

 »

Macron caught in the pincers

“ 

This is where Emmanuel Macron is ,

sighs

Liberation

,

 “

caught between the need to keep his right and the imperative to seduce his left.

What seemed easy in 2017 is no longer so today after five years of dashed hopes.

Is it too late to convince

?

Let's hope not

, responds

Liberation

.

“ 

Candidate Macron has ten days left to prove, with supporting commitments, that he has understood the concerns of young people for the future of the planet and those of the working classes for their own future.

 »

Le Pen: the strategy of gathering

As for Marine Le Pen, notes

La Charente Libre

, “  after a

minimal

campaign

, she finds herself on the front line.

His strategy is clear: to make Emmanuel Macron the figure of the authoritarian, the divider while it would be that of unity and unity.

As in a game of mirrors, the president-candidate pounded his rival and his program to blow up the Lepenist veneer.

In full light

 ”, points out the Charente daily,

 “

Marine Le Pen will no longer be able to hide behind Zemmour or purchasing power alone.

A referendum on the return of the death penalty?

There is no forbidden debate.

Even if the Constitution needs to be changed.

Ditto for integrating the national priority.

Except that it is done by going through Parliament first.

But for Marine Le Pen, rule of law or not, it doesn't matter as long as it's presented with a smile.

 »

The war in Ukraine: a European war

Also on the front page, Ukraine: " 

Moscow's strategy now marks a turning point

 ", points out

Le Monde

.

“ 

The negotiations are deadlocked, the military offensive is focused on Donbass and the Southeast.

Act II of the war promises to be even tougher and the Europeans have no other choice but to get more involved in it

 , ”says the evening daily.

The level of military aid from the West has entered another phase, even if not everything is public: tanks and anti-aircraft defense systems, in particular, are now delivered to Ukrainian forces.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wants to speed up the procedure for Ukraine's accession to the EU and went to Kyiv to say so.

Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, followed her there.

The war in Ukraine is now indeed,

 concludes

Le

Monde,

 “ 

a European war.

 »

In the columns of

Ouest-France

, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, goes in the same direction: “ 

the West must consolidate a

territorial status quo

in Europe,

he says.

Russian aggression in Ukraine must therefore fail.

A Russian defeat certainly carries a risk of escalation.

But this – low –

risk

must undoubtedly be taken to prevent a Russia emboldened by an initial success in Ukraine from being tempted again to use force to modify the

European status quo

to its advantage.

 »

► 

Presidential election France 2022 - Results 1st round

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