Will the outgoing ministers really get a nice retirement?

Three ministers did not win the legislative elections in their constituencies. As announced by the Elysée, they must leave their government posts. A tradition that no one has escaped since 2007. After just one month in their ministries, Amélie de Montchalin leaves the Ecological Transition, Brigitte Bourguignon the Health and Justine Benin the Sea. The first was beaten in the 6th district of the Essonne, the second, with 56 votes, in the 6th constituency of Pas-de-Calais, and the last was seeking a second term in the 2nd constituency of Guadeloupe.

Some believe they unearth undue privileges in these quick exercises: “Say? The Montchalin there? 36 days in the office? And she will be entitled to the ministerial retirement pension? Internet users denounce the fact that after only a month in office, the three women are guaranteed to receive a good retirement. And this when they are 37, 47 and 63 years old. “We have to work all our lives, even more with Macron, to have a miserable retirement. They in 30 days they secure the future. ” What is it really ? 20 minutes make the point.

FAKE OFF

This nervousness is unfounded. Contrary to what is regularly said about ministers, there is no special retirement for those who have held this position. Whether their mandate lasted a month, as is the case here, or an entire five-year term. And that goes for ministers as much as for secretaries of state. The latter contribute to the general scheme of the National Old Age Insurance Fund (Cnav) and to the Complementary Fund for contract workers in the public service. Like every worker, they acquire rights according to their length of government service.

If they have lost their place of minister and their mandate as deputy, Brigitte Bourguignon, Amélie de Montchalin and Justine Benin do not nevertheless leave with empty pockets. The law stipulates: “At the time of the cessation of his governmental functions, the member of the Government to whom the provisions of articles 2, 3 and 4 above have been applied shall receive an indemnity of an amount equal to the salary which was allocated to him in his status as a member of the Government. And this, for three months. Thus, in accordance with the text, the three outgoing will receive the equivalent of their salary, knowing that it is approximately 9,440 euros per month, over this period.

This compensation is distributed “unless the person concerned has previously resumed a remunerated activity”. Which is not particularly complicated when you have held such a position. For ministers who previously worked in the public sector, they automatically find their place. For those wishing to work in the private sector, they must, in accordance with the law, refer to the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life. This was recently the case of the former Minister of Transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari. The High Authority refused his retraining with the shipowner CMA-CGM, pointing to “substantial ethical risks”.

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