Unions opposed to the reform announced nationwide strikes for next Thursday. According to opinion polls, about two-thirds of French people are against raising the retirement age.
In France, the Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne proposed on Tuesday to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. The change should be made by 2030.
Borne also wants to speed up other planned changes to the pension system that would extend the working careers of many employees if they wanted to receive a full pension.
According to Borne, raising the retirement age is necessary if the collapse of the pension system is to be prevented. The amendment is scheduled to be considered by the French Parliament next month.
– Not correcting this deficit would be irresponsible. It would inevitably lead to a massive increase in taxes, a decrease in pensions and pose a threat to our pension system, Borne argued.
The trade union strongly opposes raising the retirement age. Borne assured that he was well aware of this.
– I am very well aware that making changes to our pension system causes anxiety and fear in the French, the minister said at the press conference.
There will be plenty of strikes and demonstrations in the coming weeks. Eight large trade unions already had time to announce nationwide strikes for Thursday next week to oppose the raising of the retirement age.
According to opinion polls, about two-thirds of French people are against raising the retirement age.
The last time an attempt was made to raise the retirement age was in 2019, but the companies finally gave up a year later due to the corona pandemic. Before that, they had brought about, among other things, the largest public transport strike in Paris in three decades.
Source: AFP