La Courneuve (AFP)

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal told La Courneuve on Saturday that "parts of the plan" for pension reform could be implemented by the end of the five-year term, under certain "conditions".

Mr. Attal, who was participating in a debate with the secretary general of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, at the Fête de l'Humanité, was invited to confirm that the pension reform project would not "be implemented by end of the five-year term ".

"I'm not confirming anything to you at all," he replied.

If the President of the Republic has noted "that the project, given the time remaining by the end of the five-year term, could not be resumed in the state of 2019", it is however "possible that there to have on certain parts of the project measures which are taken by the end of the five-year term ", and this on several" conditions ", asserted Mr. Attal.

"The first condition is long-term control of the epidemic, the second condition is the recovery of the economy again over a confirmed period of time, the third condition which is close to our heart is the question of the unity of our country in this context, "he explained.

"Today (...) the conditions are not met. I cannot tell you that they will not be by the end of the five-year term", he concluded.

Prime Minister Jean Castex had already evoked Wednesday "the imperative duty to promote the maximum unity of the country", in an allusion to the opposition of the unions and the reluctance of the majority to implement the reform before the end. of the five-year term.

The pension reform, "we will do that when we fall off the masks" because "there we have other priorities", for his part said the President of the Republic during a trip to the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence .

Mr. Attal and Mr. Martinez debated for an hour and a half, the first often under the jeers of the public, but in a courteous manner otherwise, sweeping the topical subjects: industrial policy, recovery plan, reform of unemployment insurance , salary increase ...

the secretary general of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, at the Fête de l'Humanité, on September 11, 2021 in La Courneuve Lucas BARIOULET AFP

Mr. Martinez concluded the debates by calling on everyone to demonstrate on October 1 for pensions and October 5 for the day of inter-union mobilization for wages and employment.

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