Speaking before the prefects gathered at the Elysee Palace on Thursday, September 15, Emmanuel Macron assured that the government would lead the pension reform. The executive has indicated that a reform could take place, including via the Social Security financing bill (PLFSS) presented on September 26 in the Council of Ministers, debated in committee at the National Assembly then from September 20 October in the hemicycle at first reading.
In an interview published by The ParisianSaturday, September 17, François Bayrou, the boss of the Modem, reputed to be close to the president, warns the executive. “I am opposed to the passage in force. If we embark on this path, then we are sure to first coalesce the oppositions between them, then to divide French society.warned Mr. Bayrou, calling for taking “the time of pedagogy”.
“A few months should be enough to arrive at a solutionhe believes. The President of the Republic has said that he wants the reform for the summer of 2023? With this method, with prior joint work, I am convinced that it can be adopted from the summer of 2023.”
Reform interrupted by the pandemic
Emmanuel Macron has decided to relaunch the pension reform, which had been put on hold by the Covid-19 during the first five-year term. « [C’]is a necessary reform. because it is necessary to “Work longer in a nation where people live longer and enter working life later on average”in particular repeated Thursday the Head of State.
Mr. Macron pledged during the presidential campaign to “shift the legal retirement age to 65”against 62 currently, at a rate of “four months a year” until “mid 2030s”. It is no longer necessarily a question of such a postponement, but in particular of an extension of the contribution period. This reforming ambition targets opposition and divides, including within the majority, at a time when Mr. Macron has launched his National Council for Refoundation (CNR), which must give pride of place to in-depth consultation with political forces. , unions and associations.
“The forced passage is the opposite of the spirit of the CNR which calls for examining the problems together”, underlined Mr. Bayrou, named at the head of this structure. rapid reform, “I believe that this would indeed create a bad climate and would vindicate all those who announce the failure of the CNR”he pleads again. “It is a reform that cannot be done through an amendment”continues Mr. Bayrou, highlighting “a real risk” motion of censure.
“I would add that if the French have the feeling that their voice does not count, we will find ourselves in a climate of extreme tension, with risks of blockage and rapid failure of the period we are living in”he still warns.