“The pension system is not in danger, nothing justifies such a brutal reform,” said Laurent Berger, president of the moderate trade union CFDT, after a meeting with the unions. According to the unions, this is only the first step and further action will be taken in cooperation with student organisations. The first day should be the start of a “strong mobilization for long-term pensions,” the unions say in a joint statement.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced controversial pension reform plans at a news conference on Tuesday. According to Borne, the reforms are necessary to prevent serious shortages in the labor market in the coming years due to the current system. France has a system where workers support retirees through deductions from their wages. According to the government, people have to work longer because, among other things, a relatively large number of retirees are being added due to higher life expectancy.