France: Elisabeth Borne clarifies the contours of the pension reform
The head of government has defined a roadmap leaving little room for manoeuvre.
AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The Prime Minister presented Thursday, December 1 in an interview with Le
Parisien
the first tracks favored by the government and the file is at the heart of the meeting this Friday, December 2 between the Prime Minister and her cabinet before new consultations with unions, employers' organizations and opposition parties.
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The head of government has defined a roadmap leaving little room for manoeuvre.
Because, for Elisabeth Borne, the figures are implacable: without a substantial decline in the retirement age, the system will widen a deficit of 100 billion euros in the next ten years.
We must therefore move to 65, even if the Prime Minister still declares herself open to alternative proposals, for example a move to 64 and an increase in the number of annuities necessary for a full retirement rate, as suggested by Les Républicains .
A "
gradual postponement
" to "
65 years by 2031
" would "
bring the system back to equilibrium within ten years
".
But “
we can discuss
” an “
other way
”, she assures the
Parisian
, while excluding from the outset “
to lower the amount of pensions or to increase the cost of work by additional contributions
”.
To counterbalance this firmness, the head of government is proposing so-called social measures, such as taking parental leave into account and an expanded system for long careers, allowing people to leave earlier.
And she undertakes to maintain "
the age of cancellation of the discount
" at 67 as today.
Entry into force of the reform in the summer of 2023
But is there really time to talk?
Elisabeth Borne confirms it: the reform will be presented on December 15.
Until then, we must meet all the social partners and the political opposition, for the moment not very enthusiastic.
And the rest of the schedule is just as tight: the Prime Minister wants the reform to come into effect by next summer.
“
The reform will apply from the summer of 2023
”, starting with those born “
in the second half of 1961
”, she indicates.
Social and political protests being guaranteed, the consultation risks once again giving way to the passage in force.
►Also read: [Accents from Europe] What reform for pensions?
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French politics
Elisabeth Borne
France
Employment and Labor