The first round of the mobilization against the pension reform takes place this Thursday. The strike against the government’s bill promises to be very popular, especially in education and transport. The political opposition is also preparing to fight a good battle in committee of the National Assembly at the end of January and in the hemicycle on February 6. Because despite the efforts of “pedagogy” of the majority to defend its “project of justice”, a measure crystallizes the anger of the opponents: the postponement of the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. Except for disabled workers who can always retire from the age of 55, and those on disability at 62.
“It’s normal that age polarizes the debates”
Both the trade union front and the opposition parties are fiercely opposed to this extension of working hours. “The objective of this reform is to make all employees work longer. For many French people, this will amount to retiring in a less good state of health”, annoys Eric Coquerel, rebellious deputy. “It’s unfair and all the more absurd that at this age, half of these people have no jobi”, adds the Chairman of the Finance Committee. A feeling shared by a large majority of French people, report several opinion polls. Thus, 71% of those questioned say they are against raising the legal age to 64, according to an Ifop poll for the JDD.
“It is normal that age is the subject that polarizes the debates. Everyone can project themselves on this proposal, ask themselves, “what impact will it have on my life?” It’s not theoretical, it’s concrete. This is the whole point of demonstrations and strikes: raising awareness, forcing people to question themselves and take a position”, abounds David Guiraud, LFI deputy from the North.
“If we want to keep our system, we have to reform”
In the majority, this measure is justified to “save” the pension system. “There were four assets to finance a retiree in the 1950s. We are at 1.7 today. The opposition crystallizes on age, but if we want to keep our system of distribution, without lowering pensions or increasing contributions, we must reform, ”assures Benjamin Haddad, deputy for Paris and spokesperson for the Renaissance group. “Jean-Luc Mélenchon brags about age, but if he were a real leftist, he should defend this social justice reform,” adds Prisca Thevenot, Renaissance spokesperson and deputy for Hauts-de- Seine. “This age is a modality, which allows us to better take into account hardship, caregiver leave, long careers, gender inequalities…”.
The walkers hope not to be locked in on the question of age, which is very unpopular in public opinion, and to bring out the other measures of the bill in the debate. “So far, the French have focused on age, it shocks them or makes them furious, but they do not yet hear all the measures alongside: the minimum pension at 1,200 euros, the consideration of chopped careers … It’s up to us to do some pedagogy to show that in the end, the weakest will be the biggest winners,” continues François Patriat, president of the Renaissance group in the Senate.
“They tried to coat the peanut”
Insufficient elements for Thomas Ménagé, RN deputy for Loire. “They tried to coat the peanut with sugar to better pass the age measurement. It’s fair game, he said. But it is not because there is good, that there is not very bad. With the 64 years old, the balance is clearly leaning on the wrong side, ”he adds, specifying that his party will only vote for certain measures of the text.
The opposition has also found a strong argument in the comments made in April 2019 by a certain … Emmanuel Macron. That day, the President of the Republic mentioned this extension of working hours. “Should the legal age be raised, today at 62? I do not believe it, assured the President of the Republic. “As long as we have not solved the problem of unemployment in our country, it would be quite hypocritical”.
What about long careers?
Those who started working early will always be able to leave earlier. Currently, starting a career before the age of 20 can allow an early retirement of two years, and entering the workforce before the age of 16 can give the right to an early retirement of four years.
This system will be “adapted” with a new “intermediate level”: those who started before the age of 20 will be able to leave two years earlier, i.e. 62 years old; those who started before the age of 18 will be able to claim their right to retirement four years earlier, ie 60; those who started before the age of 16 will be able to end their career six years earlier, i.e. 58 years. In this way, no one will be “forced to work for more than 44 years”, according to the government. Periods of parental leave will in future be taken into account, which will be “more just for women”, according to the government.