Ophélie Artaud 6 p.m., January 18, 2023

This Thursday will take place a first day of mobilization against the pension reform, at the call of the inter-union.

But for 30 years, by reforming the pension system, successive governments have had to face the anger of the French.

1995, 2003, 2010 or even 2019, Europe 1 takes you back to the main social movements that have affected the country.

What will be the extent of the mobilization?

This Thursday will take place the first day of action against the pension reform after a call from the inter-union.

Among the most disputed points of this reform, the increase in the legal retirement age to 64 years in 2030, the extension of the contribution period to 43 years from 2027 or the gradual closure of special retirement, from which the RATP, the SNCF, EDF, the Banque de France and the Paris Opera benefit in particular, for new hires from September 2023. A black Thursday is already to be expected in public transport, while other sectors, such as refineries or the public service, have confirmed their mobilization.

But since the adoption in 1982 under François Mitterrand of retirement at 60, with 37 and a half years of contribution, several pension reforms have lengthened the legal retirement age.

But who says reform, also says mobilizations and strikes.

If we especially remember those of 1995, the French regularly took to the streets to defend their pensions.

Europe 1 immerses you in images in 30 years of mobilizations linked to the pension reform.

1993: the Balladur reform and the increase in the contribution period

In 1993, Prime Minister Édouard Balladur attacked pensions and launched one of the most important reforms.

At that time, the National Old Age Insurance Fund was in crisis, with a 40 billion franc deficit.

Among the key measures: the increase in the contribution period, which goes from 37.5 to 40 years, the calculation of the retirement pension over the 25 best years or the indexation of pensions to inflation.

Despite a fairly tough reform, the challenge is very weak, probably for two reasons: the reform was implemented in the middle of the summer of 1993, and it spared civil service employees.

© PASCAL PAVANI / AFP

1995: France in the street against the Juppé plan

In 1995, Prime Minister Alain Juppé announced a pension and social security plan.

Among the measures, the government wishes to generalize the Balladur reform to civil servants and public companies.

Immediately, the announcement provoked very strong opposition in public opinion.

The challenge comes quickly and lasts three weeks, from November 24 to December 15, 1995 in the public service and the private sector.

The transport sector is particularly affected, but the strike is also followed at the Post Office, at France Telecom... In all, more than 5 million French people are in the streets, during six major demonstrations.

On December 12 in particular, 2 million people demonstrated against the reform, according to figures from trade unions.

Faced with this mobilization and for fear that the country will continue to be blocked, the government gives in and agrees not to extend the period of contribution of the SNCF and the RATP.

The strike ended on December 15, when the executive announced that it was withdrawing its pension reform.

© JOEL ROBINE / AFP

2003: more than a million French people demonstrate against the Fillon reform

In 2003, the Minister of Social Affairs François Fillon announced a reform to complete that of Édouard Balladur.

The government of Jacques Chirac wishes in particular to extend the duration of contributions for the private and the public service (41 years for all French people from 2009), and to encourage the French to remain in employment after 60 years.

But on May 13, 2003, the demonstrations brought together 2 million people in the streets, according to the unions, or 1.1 million according to the police.

Despite the challenge, the reform was adopted after some concessions from the government.

© GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP

2007: ten days of strike against the Sarkozy reform on the special regimes

In 2007, a new pension reform was led by François Fillon, this time as Prime Minister of Nicolas Sarkozy.

It concerns the special schemes of public service companies (such as EDF, GDF, RATP, Banque de France, etc.) and professionals with special status (notary clerks, elected officials and parliamentary employees).

For these sectors, the government wants to increase the contribution period to 40 years, then to 41 years ten years later, in 2017. The executive also wants to set up a discount/surcharge mechanism or even index pensions on the price evolution.

A call for a strike is launched, especially in public transport.

After 10 days, the mobilization ended on November 24, 2007. It was the longest transport strike since 1995.

© BORIS HORVAT / AFP

2010: 14 demonstrations against the Woerth reform

In 2010, the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and the Civil Service Éric Woerth presented a new pension reform.

Among the measures, the gradual increase in the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62 years for all French people, the passage of the cancellation of the discount from 65 to 67 years and the increase in the duration of contribution required to obtain a full pension at age 41.5.

Very unpopular, the reform caused a strong mobilization, with strikes at the SNCF, in the refineries, on the side of road carriers or garbage collectors... High school students also joined the movement.

Added to this are fourteen major demonstrations between September and November 2010. That of October 19 even brought together 3.5 million demonstrators according to the unions (825,000 according to the Ministry of the Interior).

Despite the challenge, the law was promulgated on November 10, 2010.

© PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP

2014: 370,000 demonstrators against the Touraine reform

In 2014, the Minister of Social Affairs, Marisol Touraine, announced that the government wanted to extend the contribution period to 43 years for full retirement.

The duration must be raised by one quarter every three years from 2020 to 2035 for the generations born from 1973. If the reform is supported by the CFDT, demonstrations break out.

370,000 demonstrators take to the streets according to the unions (155,000 according to the police).

The law is still enacted.

© MARTIN BUREAU / AFP

2019: the first Macron reform does not convince

In 2019, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe unveiled Emmanuel Macron's government reform project.

A reform promised by the president during his 2017 campaign. At first rather accepted, it is an aspect of the reform that will lead to protest: that of the pivotal age, at 64, and below which the pension pension must be discounted.

A way for the government to encourage the French to retire at 64.

In a post-yellow Vests context, more than 1.5 million French people took to the streets on December 5, 2019 (800,000 according to the Ministry of the Interior).

Very important in transport, the strike movement is spreading in many sectors.

In February 2020, the government activated 49.3 to pass this pension reform.

But the start of the coronavirus pandemic and the announcement of containment on March 16, 2020 forced President Emmanuel Macron to suspend all the reforms in progress, including that of pensions.

© Laure Boyer / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP

Three years later, Thursday's mobilization - and those that could follow - may also be in line with the major social movements against the various pension reforms.