In the event of “blocking” of pensions negotiations, “the referendum is an outcome”, estimates François Bayrou in an interview with Figaro Upline this Thursday, February 27.
On the first day of the consultations between the social partners on the reform of pension of 2023, where the Syndicat Force Ouvrière slammed the door, the Prime Minister reaffirms that “if no one agrees […] We will remain in the previous system, defined in 2023 “. But it does not exclude resorting to the referendum” if we were one day in a blocking situation “.” I always said that when questions are blocked, when there is no possible resolution, the referendum is a way out “, he explains.” We have to question ourselves on a trajectory, perhaps 20 years, to reach a reequil. Different, innovative, “said the Prime Minister.
Large gap between unions and employers
The positions of the unions and employers on the pension reform are still in contrast after the first day of negotiation this Thursday, FO having left the table, denouncing a “masquerade” after a request for financial balance of the government.
François Bayrou sent negotiators on Wednesday evening a letter requiring the social partners of the measures for a return to the financial balance of the pension system from 2030, while with the currently planned trajectory, the deficit should be more than 6 billion euros, according to the Court of Auditors. The previous request of the executive consisted only in not “degrading” the deficit of the system by modifying the parameters of the reform of 2023, which provides for a decline at 64 years of the starting age to which the unions are opposed.
“We will not participate in this masquerade where we want to make us say that indeed the only solution, it is to extend the working hours for employees in this country,” launched the FO Michel Beaugas negotiator after about a quarter of an hour in the meeting room.
He denounced an “instrumentalization” of the social partners, to “make them carry the hat” of this extension. Concession to the Socialist Party, the reopening of the pension file has helped the Bayrou government to avoid censorship in Parliament, but the success of its approach already seems compromised.