“Work” and “pension reform” are levers of “sustainability” of the French social model, estimated Elisabeth Borne on Friday evening when concluding a National Council for Refoundation (CNR) devoted to the French “social and productive model”.

“Our social model is a great strength of our country.

It is a model that can protect everyone and also protects the most vulnerable.

(…) So we all want to preserve (it), ”said the Prime Minister when concluding this thematic CNR at the Ministry of the Economy.

But “it will not be by massively increasing our taxes” in the context of inflation, nor by increasing the debt, she added.

Work, “path of dignity”

"As a result, and this is really the lever in which I deeply believe, it is through work that we will be able to ensure the sustainability of our social model", declared the head of government.

Work “is the path to dignity and emancipation” and “also what allows us to create wealth and finance this social model”.

She also said that the pension reform, which she is to present next week, was "a major lever to increase the employment rate of seniors and therefore also participate in defending this social model", pointing to employment rates still low in this category and among young people.

An “increasingly expensive” social model, says Le Maire

The Prime Minister was accompanied by several ministers, including Bruno Le Maire (Economy), Olivier Dussopt (Labour), Sylvie Retailleau (Higher education and research) and Jean-Christophe Combe (Solidarities).

The French social model is "more and more expensive", underlined Bruno Le Maire, for whom the "only way" is to "create more wealth, more jobs", seeing a "total link between a social model totally solidarity and a totally efficient productive model".

This CNR aimed to discuss the "economic and social strategy" of France around in particular innovation, full employment and ecological planning.

Elisabeth Borne will chair another thematic CNR devoted to youth on Saturday at Matignon, before participating in the global CNR on Monday at the Elysée.

Supposed to mobilize the living forces of the country, the CNR had been shunned at its launch on September 8 by the opposition and certain unions.

Policy

Pension reform: Unions threaten the executive with "determined" social mobilization

Policy

Assembly: With the end of unlimited 49.3, the majority "enters the moment of truth"

  • Company

  • Elisabeth Borne

  • Bruno the Mayor

  • Retirement

  • Pension reform

  • Work