Paris (AFP)
The Minister of Public Accounts, Gérald Darmanin, assured Tuesday that the government was against the increase in contributions suggested by the number one of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, as part of the pension reform.
"Should the premiums be increased? We are not in favor of that," said the minister on BFMTV and RMC. "An increase in contributions means less purchasing power for employees and more expenses for employers, it would kill the economy," he added.
Asked about the possibility that he succeeds the resignation of the high commissioner for pensions, Jean-Paul Delevoye, Mr. Darmanin assured that he had had no contact in this regard with Emmanuel Macron or Edouard Philippe.
"I will give you a scoop. Neither the President of the Republic nor the Prime Minister - I saw them both yesterday - spoke to me about it," he replied. "I draw the conclusion that since they did not ask me a question, I do not answer it," he added.
In an interview published Tuesday in La Croix, Mr. Berger proposed an increase in contributions to avoid the age of balance that the government wants to introduce in 2022 as part of its pension reform.
"There are other short-term solutions, an increase in contributions, for example. Why is it taboo to talk about it, when it seems so obvious to ask those who have fulfilled their contract to work longer ? ", he said.
Asked Tuesday morning on CNews about this suggestion of an increase in pension contributions, the Secretary of State responsible for the public service, Olivier Dussopt, was cautious.
"The debate can open up," he assured, however, recalling that the Prime Minister was going to receive trade union and employer organizations on Wednesday in bilateral then Thursday in multilateral.
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