2023, the year of pension reform? As for “strikes and demonstrations,” the left answers Macron.

While the President of the Republic raised the burning topic of pension reform in his wishes to the French, the opposition responded harshly to Emmanuel Macron. As a reminder, if anyone else doubts this, the debate on this bill will be very intense at the beginning of the school year.

The head of state confirmed that the reform (in particular, the retirement age) will be initiated and applied in 2023, without specifying the contours. The government must submit it on January 10. “This year will indeed be a year of pension reform aimed at balancing our system for years and decades to come” and “strengthening our pay-as-you-go pension system,” he said.

While the new rules “will apply from the end of summer 2023”, “the extension of our working career will be gradual, it will be implemented in stages over almost ten years” and “will also be fair given the long career, career change, the complexity of certain tasks certain professions,” the Head of State tried to reassure. “The President of the Republic has reminded of his course, and it is very important (…) In order to save the pay-as-you-go pension system, we must reform it,” Marlene Schiappa, Secretary of the State in charge of the social and solidarity economy and public life, then abounded on BFM TV.

“A terrible decision contrary to the opinion of the French”

On the left and in the trade unions, the speech of the head of state was unanimously criticized. Celine Verzeletti, secretary of the Confederation of the CGT, joked into the BFMTV microphone: “The year of pension reform? Rather, it will be a year of strikes, mobilizations and demonstrations! »

“This is a terrible decision against the opinion of all French people,” said Member of Parliament (LFI) Raquel Garrido at the LCI. And his colleague Alexis Corbière, also an MP, did the same on France Info: “A nation cannot be united if a reform that it does not want is imposed on it. Jean-Luc Mélenchon chose to use irony: “After five years of Macron’s wishes, I think they were out of luck. 16 degrees in Paris on December 31st. January will be hot! Happy New Year,” wrote the leader of La France insoumise on Twitter.

“The President’s complacency number is bound to appeal to the unity of the French…. So his politics divides us and hurts us. We will not miss the pension reform that will make us work longer from 2023! “, took the date, for its part, the national secretary of the Communist Party, Fabien Roussel.

“See you on the street! »

Marine Tondelier, the Greens’ national secretary, believed at Europe 1 that the president was “lying”. “When he says that the pension system is deficient. (…) This is an ideological reform. In fact, if we want pensions in 30 years, we will have to deal with the climate. »

“We will be mobilized! PS spokeswoman Gabrielle Siri added. “See you on the streets and in the strikes,” promised NPA candidate Philippe Putou.

On the right, the reaction within the opposition is also fierce. Among the LRs, Bruno Retaio saw “a president unconnected with the concerns of the French and the decisions that need to be provided”. “There is something surreal about presidential satisfaction,” the president of the Les Républicains group also writes in the Senate. Emmanuel Macron “has not been very clear” about the pension reform, Sebastian Chenu, vice-president of the National Association, judged for his part. Otherwise, the president “avoided the main thing”: “debt, purchasing power and insecurity,” the deputy from the North concluded.