Photo by Benjamin Bellier on Pixabay
Next Thursday will see the 6th national strike against the French pension reform, while today is the opening of the debates on this bill in the French Senate.
Although the French are known to be professional strikers, this pension reform has a much greater impact than usual. Since the protests began in January, there have been as many as 2.8 million citizens on the streets on the same day according to the workers' unions, and 1.27 million according to the government, making it the largest social movement in 30 years.
The latest polls show that 72% of the population and 93% of active workers support the movement. Indeed, this reform plans to move the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 for most workers, and up to 67 to receive a full pension.
President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and her government say that without this reform, the entire pension system will collapse and suffer a deficit of €8 million per year.
They also say that this reform will improve the living conditions of the poorest and will allow an increase in pensions. On many TV shows, many members of the government have also been talking about the €1,200 pension ceiling for all, but when diving into the text, it was revealed that this will only affect 46,000 people. This episode has greatly discredited the government, which is now struggling to climb back in the polls.
Other arguments are raised: this reform should also take more into account the hardship of work in the calculation of the pension, and improve the consideration of short careers.On the other hand, workers' unions and left-wing political parties argue that this deficit could be offset by other revenues, such as a tax on the richest or an increase in corporate taxes. But even if the government understands their view, they argue that France's tax rates are among the highest in the world and that raising them could destroy the economy.
Another issue to be addressed is the employment of older people. Indeed, French companies tend to lay off people aged around 55-60 to avoid paying expensive final salaries. This reform is also coupled with a reform of the unemployment insurance system reducing the duration of compensation. Therefore, the government plans to impose fines on companies that dismiss senior citizens, but according to the trade unions, this will not be enough.
French citizens can still expect disruptions and strikes in the coming months. All the unions are calling for another strike on Saturday, and many more until the government retires.
Let's be honest, strikes and demonstrations are common in France. Indeed, they have had a great impact in the past and are now very well protected by law. They have given the worker important rights, such as the 36-hour week, 5 weeks of paid holiday per year, or the generous social security system.
Photo by AFP, copyright-free
President Macron announced that he would make this reform during the 2022 presidential campaign, and thus claims that he and his government are legitimate to make this reform and that compromises on the major points are possible. However, a majority of left-wing voters helped him to be elected not for his free-market-oriented programme, but to block the way to the far right Marine Le Pen, and Macron tends to forget this majority.
Speaking of the far right, their position remains unclear. They are officially against the reform, but do not support the protests and their political programme included a similar reform a few years ago.
Allied to the right, Macron's party Rennaissance could have the majority and thus the power to pass this reform ... unless the street takes it back, and French national history has shown that this could very well happen.
Written by Maxime Zingraff
02.03.2023