The French Senate approved On Wednesday night, after an intense battle between progressive and left-wing congressmen, the key article of the pension reform project that delays the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. The vote ended with 201 votes in favor and 115 against.
According to the plan of the president of France, Emmanuel Macronthe legal retirement age will be raised progressively from 62 to 64 years at a rate of three months per year from September 1, 2023 until 2030.
Besides, to obtain a full pension, without discount, the required contribution period will increase from 42 to 43 years from now to 2027, at the rate of one quarter per year.
To enter into force, the initiative still needs to be agreed upon by both chambers of Parliament, for which they have a term until March 26. In case of not reaching it, the government can apply its plan through an ordinance, something that has never happened.
The delay in the retirement age was an initiative of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who received a strong repudiation mainly from local unionism. His argument for this proposal was to balance the economy and reduce the imbalance between the maintenance of senior citizens by the economically active population.
What is the pension reform promoted by Macron and that generated a wave of protests throughout France?
On January 10, the day on which the Executive Power’s wish was announced, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne made it clear: “With a legal retirement age of 64 years from 2030 and 43 years of contributions, we will achieve the objective : our redistributive will then reach equilibrium”.
The approval came amid protests.
Last Wednesday, March 8, while the Senate was debating the approval of the project to delay the retirement age, public transport, classes and the supply of electricity, oil and gas were interrupted for the third round of protests and strikes.
The protests began a day after the National Assembly opened debate on the bill. Thousands of people mobilized against the initiative throughout France. International lines to Great Britain and Switzerland were affected, as well as the metro in Paris. The country’s eight main unions called for more demonstrations for next Saturday.
RB/fl
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