Despite the protests, Macron still believes that pension reforms are necessary.
(Photo: Reuters)
Paris While Emmanuel Macron is trying to mend his relationship with the French on Monday evening, opponents of the pension reform are boycotting the president’s televised speech. They met in numerous places in France for a special form of protest: when the President addressed the citizens of the Élysée Palace, they loudly banged on pots and pans.
The new dialogue that Macron wants after the controversial reform is likely to be difficult. The President admitted that he had not been able to reach a consensus on pensions. “Is it a reform that will be accepted? Obviously not,” he said. It is regrettable that despite “months of consultations” no common path has been found.
At the same time, Macron maintained that the reform was “necessary”. He referred to the aging of the population and increasing life expectancy. The only way to “guarantee pensions for everyone” is to adapt the system.
According to the reform law, from 2030 the French should not retire until the age of 64. To this end, the statutory retirement age of currently 62 years is to be gradually raised from this autumn.
The government wants to abolish generous early retirement schemes for certain occupational groups. However, particularly long-term work experience should be taken into account: Anyone who has at least 43 years of contributions can, under certain circumstances, retire earlier without deductions.
The French continue to reject pension reform
The reform cleared the last hurdle on Friday: the country’s constitutional council approved all the important points of the law on Friday. The body rejected the request of the left-wing opposition to hold a referendum on the reform. Macron wasted no time and put the law into effect on Saturday night.
Opponents of pension reform demonstrated with pots and pans on the streets during Macron’s speech.
(Photo: Reuters)
According to surveys, the French reject raising the retirement age by a clear majority. Macron’s already weak popularity ratings plummeted to a low. On the twelve national days of protest so far, more than a million people have taken to the streets at times. Recently, however, participation in the demonstrations and strikes had decreased.
Not only did the content of the reform meet with massive resistance, but also the way in which Macron pushed it through. The law threatened to fail in the National Assembly, where the president’s center-aligned alliance has not had its own majority since the June 2022 parliamentary elections.
So Macron took advantage of a government privilege enshrined in the constitution to pass the law without parliamentary approval. The opposition then filed a vote of no confidence in the government, which narrowly failed.
Macron offers ‘new pact for work’
In his 15-minute prime-time speech, Macron explained the protests as a social dissatisfaction that goes beyond the issue of pensions. “Nobody, especially not me, can ignore the demand for social justice and for a renewal of our democratic coexistence,” he said.
The President offered the unions “discussions without borders and taboos” on issues such as redistributing wealth and improving working conditions, especially for older workers. However, the unions had rejected the latest offers from the Élysée and want to enter into a possible dialogue after May 1st at the earliest. On Labor Day they plan to mobilize again against the pension reform.
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Macron envisages a “new pact for work”. He noticed the anger of the citizens that “the work no longer enables many French people to lead a good life”. Inflation also plays a role here. At the same time, however, the President made it clear that the government measures against the high prices in France were more comprehensive than in any other country in Europe.
Another building site that Macron wants to tackle is reforming the antiquated institutions of the Fifth Republic, founded in 1958. In doing so, he wants to fight against “the feeling that elections mean that you no longer have any influence on decisions”. However, the President did not give any details.
Also on the President’s agenda for the remaining four years of his second term are upgrading the judiciary with thousands of new judges, creating new police units and fighting “illegal migration”. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne is to present the roadmap for the next reforms next week, and Macron then wants to take stock on the national holiday, July 14.
More: How France benefits from Macron’s reforms – and overtakes Germany