French president insists pension reform is needed, despite protests

PARIS –

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted on the necessity for elevating the retirement age from 62 to 64 with a view to make the French pension system financially sustainable within the coming years, in a letter to employees’ unions launched Friday.

The transfer comes after greater than 1,000,000 demonstrators marched in cities and cities throughout France this week as practice and metro drivers, refinery employees and others began open-ended strikes in opposition to the centrist authorities’s plan.

Unions referred to as for extra protests on Saturday. They are demanding the withdrawal of the invoice, which is being debated by the French Senate this week.

According to the letter supplied by the president’s workplace, Macron mentioned he made the selection to “make the French work a little longer” as a result of different choices, which he rejected, would have concerned “decreasing pensions, raising taxes or letting our children and grandchildren carry the financial burden.”

Union chief Francois Hommeril of the CFE-CGC, which represents employees within the vitality sector, amongst others, mentioned Friday that Macron’s letter seemed to be one other “missed opportunity” for the president to pursue reforms whereas listening to involved employees.

The president “acts as if the social movement did not exist,” French broadcaster BFM TV quoted Hommeril as saying. He added: “I am very disappointed and worried about (Macron’s) response.”

Opinion polls constantly present a majority of the French oppose the change. Left-wing lawmakers argue corporations and the rich ought to pitch in additional to finance the pension system.

Macron additionally recalled the measure was a key promise from his presidential marketing campaign final 12 months, including that he made a concession by agreeing to place the age restrict at 64, down from 65 as initially deliberate.

“You strongly express your disagreement,” Macron wrote to the unions. “I don’t underestimate the discontent ΓǪ as well as the anxiety expressed by many French people who have concerns about never getting any pension.”

Meanwhile, the federal government requested Friday for a particular process to be applied on the Senate to speed up the talk by organizing one single vote on the entire invoice, somewhat than voting on every modification and article.

The authorities’s choice to apparently push the invoice by means of the Senate will “deepen the anger” amongst French employees, mentioned Fabrice Coudour, a frontrunner of the influential union CGT Energy. He referred to as on strikers and opponents of the retirement reform to take their grievances to the streets on Saturday.

The Senate, which is dominated by members of The Republicans social gathering, is anticipated to approve the invoice. Conservative senators have pushed for years to boost the minimal retirement age.

If the invoice is authorized by the Senate, it’s going to proceed making its approach subsequent week by means of France’s complicated legislative course of.

Macron’s centrist alliance has essentially the most seats within the National Assembly however misplaced its majority in legislative elections final 12 months, making the end result of a vote within the decrease home of parliament arduous to foretell.

On Friday, Macron didn’t rule out utilizing a particular constitutional energy to pressure the invoice by means of parliament with no vote, after the talk on the Senate is over.

“The parliament will follow the terms of our Constitution so that a legislative text can make its way through, no more, no less,” the president mentioned throughout a news convention.