The French government is watering down a bit with its unpopular pension plans. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has said the minimum age for claiming a full pension for a particular group will not be raised from 62 to 64.
Those who start working at 20 or 21 can retire at 63. The proposed increase in the retirement age has already sparked two major nationwide strikes and protests, with over a million French people demonstrating.
Requests listened to
According to Borne, he listened to the demands of the conservative Les Républicains party and then changed the plans. President Emmanuel Macron’s government has lost a majority in France’s lower house, the National Assembly, since the last election last year. Macron and Borne must seek allies in parliament. According to the leader of Les Républicains, Eric Ciotti, the adjustment could guarantee a large majority in parliament. There will be a debate in parliament on Monday on the pension proposals. Meanwhile, the left-wing opposition in parliament tabled thousands of amendments to prolong debate on the law.
The complicated pension system has separate schemes for certain occupational groups and must have been worked out for several years before claims can be enforced. For example, people who started working before the age of 20 could retire at 62 in the plans. Incidentally, many French people already have to continue working until the age of 67 because they do not have the working years necessary for an early retirement.
70% are against
According to pollsters, about 70% of those interviewed are against the reforms proposed by Borne and his boss Macron. Large national protests are again scheduled for February 7 and 11. According to the government, working people have to pay more and more retirees and the pension system is now showing huge deficits. The government wants the entire system to be self-sufficient by 2030.
Borne also defended older employees who are often fired by companies. They therefore have big problems finding work to survive until they reach retirement age. “Too often companies stop training and hiring older people. It is a shock to workers and a loss to deprive us of their skills,” said the prime minister. He wants to force financially sanctioned companies to regularly publish details of the number of senior employees they employ.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
