Macron government approves pension reform despite mass protests

The government of the President of France, Emmanuel Macronapproved its pension reform on Monday, against which more than a million people demonstrated on Thursday, which is now beginning its parliamentary process while the protests continue.

Despite the majority rejection of public opinion, the government reiterated its commitment to delay the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030 and bring forward to 2027 the increase in the years of contribution necessary to collect a full pension (from 42 to 43). .

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“The age measures that we adopt are those that will allow us to balance the system [de pensiones] in 2030″, The Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, defended at a press conference, who acknowledged a “disagreement” on these points with the unions.

The plenary session of the National Assembly (lower house) will begin debating the bill from February 6, before it reaches the Senate (upper house). The left-wing parties and the far-right opposition have already announced that they will vote against it.

To approve it, the ruling party, which lost its absolute majority in June, could count on the support of Los Republicanos (LR, right), in favor of a reform, or resort to two controversial mechanisms to try to adopt it without putting it to a vote.

“I wish that the government with the legislators (…) can work on the text and adjust it”, indicated on Sunday the liberal president, who nevertheless called for “advance” since there have already been changes since the delay at 65 years that he proposed in the electoral campaign.

This reform is one of the key measures that MacronThe 45-year-old promised during the campaign that led to his re-election in April, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to bury a first attempt.

A protester clashes with the police during a demonstration in Paris on January 19, 2023. (Photo: Thomas SAMSON / AFP) (THOMAS SAMSON /)

The eight main unions are opposed and called a new day of protests on January 31 after the success of last Thursday. “We hope to do better,” CGT leader Philippe Martinez told RTL, LCI and Le Figaro media on Sunday.

The retirement age in the second economy of the European Union (EU) is one of the lowest in Europe and, if the reform goes ahead, France would be closer to 65 years of Spain or 67 of Denmark.

Source: Elcomercio