Expected on the issue of purchasing power and pensions, Emmanuel Macron promised, Wednesday, October 26 during a broadcast on France 2, to "protect the weakest" in the face of the "storm" that is looming.
The French president said he wanted to support purchasing power and small businesses hit by rising energy prices, and paved the way for an extension of the contribution period on pensions.
"We are going through a crisis, even crises," he said, pointing to the war in Ukraine and its consequences on energy and prices.
"We have to get through this storm (..) and we are going to get through it together", like that of Covid-19, he hammered as the clouds gather over growth in France and Europe as we approach of winter.
"To get through it, we must protect the weakest, our students, our most modest families, our most fragile businesses, our industry too and we must push those who have more strength to do even better", insisted the head of the State, which was invited for the second time in two weeks to the Événement program, after a first edition devoted to international issues.
Emmanuel Macron once again engaged in a pedagogical exercise, with supporting graphics, in the face of the many questions from the French, from the defense of their purchasing power to the pension reform on which the executive has chosen to temporize , without giving up.
🗣️ "We must and we will get through this storm" declares Emmanuel Macron, guest of #Levenement on @France2tv
Follow our live: https://t.co/j51K6pjfpQ pic.twitter.com/17t7YpaUxH
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) October 26, 2022
He insisted on the protective measures put in place from the end of 2021 to control the rise in energy prices which have enabled France to better cushion the shock of inflation than its neighbors, with 6% against 10% otherwise.
"It's hard but we have to hold on," he insisted, as gas and electricity prices are set to increase by 15% at the start of 2023. "It's a lot, but (without a tariff shield, Editor's note) it should be more than 100%", he insisted.
"Shift the legal age of departure by 4 months per year"
From January, aid will be "targeted" to those who need it most, he said.
The executive will also "guarantee a reasonable price" of electricity to local authorities and small and medium-sized enterprises", by terms which will be unveiled on Friday. In addition, "for medium-sized companies and large groups, we We are going to set up an aid desk with, from the next few weeks, installments".
The head of state, on the other hand, ruled out an indexation of wages to prices demanded by certain unions, renewing his calls for a "fairer distribution" of profits in companies, through social dialogue.
While the executive continues its negotiations on pension reforms, Emmanuel Macron declared himself "open" to a postponement of the legal retirement age to 64, and not 65 as he had promised during the presidential campaign, in the event of an extension of the contribution period.
"If some (social partners) are ready to commit and say: we don't want to go until 65, but in return, if you make this gesture, we are ready to work a few more quarters - because there are other ways to do it, it's not just the legal age, it's working a few more quarters - I'm open", he said.
🗣️ "If we don't reform pensions, it will be less purchasing power" summarizes Emmanuel Macron
📺 #Levenement @France2tv pic.twitter.com/MeJl1umQyb
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) October 26, 2022
Resuming his campaign promise, Emmanuel Macron said he had received "the mandate from our compatriots" to "shift the legal age of departure by 4 months a year", now set at 62 and which would be raised "from the summer of 2023" to reach 65 years "by 2031".
A consultation on the pension reform was however opened by the government at the beginning of October with the unions and the employers, and must "finish by the end of the year", he recalled.
With AFP
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