"In Emmanuel Macron's program there will be the proposal to extend the retirement age and gradually raise it to 65," he said on RTL, confirming information from Les Echos.

It will therefore be "a reform of responsibility", he defended.

It will also be a "justice" reform, with a minimum pension of 1,100 euros "for those who have a full career", and the abolition of special regimes, "for example of the RATP or EDF, as we have made for the SNCF for new entrants", added Mr. Attal.

"There will be a discussion with the unions", he also underlined, adding that the President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, "on behalf of the candidate Emmanuel Macron, presents (this) reform project to the CFDT today on the occasion of a hearing".

Regarding the minimum pension for full careers, he recalled that the government had "already done it for farmers", with a minimum pension increased for them to 85% of the Smic then "extended then to spouses and carers".

Defending the principle of this reform, which "is part of the priority reforms", the government spokesman estimated that "in this presidential election, we are going to have a choice for society: do we still want to be able to finance protection for the French and invest for the French? We said yes. Do we think we should do it by increasing taxes? We said no. And so we have to work more".

“It is also a question of aligning ourselves with most of our neighbors and comparable countries”, further pleaded Gabriel Attal.

© 2022 AFP