Barthélémy Philippe, edited by Alexandre Dalifard 06:15, January 18, 2023

To restore the financial balance of the pension system, the government refuses to put pensioners to contribution.

A position which, once is not custom, is unanimous within the political class.

But outside the parties, some economists believe that a just reform should not weigh all the efforts on the assets.

With the approach of the great day of mobilization against the text of Elisabeth Borne, Thursday, January 19, it is the question which agitates the debate on pensions: can the financial balance of our pay-as-you-go system be guaranteed otherwise? than by postponing the legal age from 62 to 64?

The answer is yes, for some economists, who recommend distributing the effort between retirees and assets.

Problem, the executive has made the amount of pensions a red line.

Out of the question, therefore, to under-index pensions on inflation, even by saving the most modest.

So, increase the CSG on pensions?

Unimaginable: in 2018, Emmanuel Macron risked it before retreating in the face of the anger of the elders, who largely contributed to having him re-elected in 2022.

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Only 10% of retirees live below the poverty line

However, the question of the contribution deserves to be asked because our retirees are, to a certain extent, privileged.

Since 2000, they have had a higher standard of living than working people, even if the difference has narrowed recently.

This is a world exception.

Or almost, since Italy shares this "anomaly" with France.

Moreover, only 10% of retirees live below the poverty line.

Against 15% of the general population.

They are often owners and have a greater capacity to save than assets.

"It makes sense to say in a reform, we make everyone pay. It's true that today retirees pay less CSG and CRDS than assets. We don't really have any reasons to explain that", observes Emmanuel Grimaud, president of Maximis Retraites.

"On the basic pension, one can wonder why retirees do not contribute to health insurance when they consume more care than the rest of the population", continues the specialist.

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What savings?

According to a noteworthy note from Fipaddict - the pseudonym of an economics and public finance teacher who wishes to remain anonymous - simply under-indexing pensions to inflation by one point in 2023 and 2024 would to save nearly 5 billion euros.

Or 40% of the amount that the government deems necessary to reduce the pension fund deficit by 2027, that is to say 12 billion euros.