The French Constitutional Council has approved the main points of the controversial pension reform. In a statement published on Friday evening, the top guardians of the constitution gave their approval, among other things, to the most important reform project of President Emmanuel Macron’s government, raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. They rejected other points of the reform project.
Macron and the center government want to prevent an impending hole in the pension fund with the reform. The reform aims to gradually raise the retirement age by 2030. There are still exceptions for people who started their working life very early or who have particularly difficult jobs. In addition, the minimum pension is to be raised to 1,200 euros for full contribution periods. More than two thirds of the French reject the pension reform.
Shortly before the expected decision by the French Constitutional Council on pension reform, security forces cordoned off most of the building on Friday in anticipation of possible riots. The neighboring playhouse Comédie Française canceled its evening performances. President Emmanuel Macron wanted to discuss how to proceed with several members of the government in the afternoon.
In France, people protested again ahead of President Emmanuel Macron’s decision by the Constitutional Council on pension reforms on Friday. A demonstration march started in Paris at noon. Protests were also planned in a number of other cities. Roads were also blocked across the country.
President Macron has already announced that he will seek contact with the unions again after the Constitutional Council’s decision. In doing so, the government relies more on the moderate CFDT than on the CGT. Their new boss, Sophie Binet, responded to the offer to talk with “LOL”, which translates as “I’m laughing my ass off”.
In renewed negotiations, the government could, for example, offer to expand social measures and introduce them in another labor law. However, since the anger of many opponents of the reform is directed at the core point of the reform, namely raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, the protest could flare up again.
