Olivier Dussopt: “We knew that this reform would be difficult”

Before the legislative battle and the demonstrations and while now 72% of the French say they oppose the reform, the government continues to fight to try to convince the need to reform the pension system.

Olivier Dussopt thus defended this Friday on BFMTV/RMC a reform that he considers “necessary” and “fair”.

Recalling that in the 1970s there were three workers for one retiree, that today the ratio has risen to 1.7 to 1 and that it could reach 1.4 to one in 2040 according to the Pension Orientation Council (COR), the The Minister of Labor considered that this reform was, in his opinion, a necessity.

“We consider that it is necessary because the system is deficient and that if we do not carry out this reform it will go to the wall,” he said. Others consider that there are alternatives, d other solutions […]. We consider that they are not strong enough to guarantee both the balance of the system and its improvement.”

Regarding the strong opposition to the project, the Minister does not say he is surprised by the precedents.

The “long runs” will go sooner

In addition to the need, Olivier Dussopt insisted on defending what he considers a “just reform”.

And to add: “When we create a system to take into account the situation of those who start working between the ages of 16 and 18 and not consider them in the same way as those who start working between the ages of 18 and 20, it is will allow him to leave earlier and that’s fair”.

The government plan establishes that people who worked before the age of 16 can retire from the age of 58 (subject to having contributed the required insurance period plus one year) compared to 60 in the current system.

Finally, a reform that the minister considers more protective for the most fragile people. “When we set a minimum level of pension [1200 euros, NDR] to ensure that for a complete career at the Smic level you have 85% of the Smic, it is something new, we are implementing it and we are making sure that it is indexed and guaranteed in time, heh. It will allow 200,000 new retirees each year to have a better pension because those who are most exposed are precisely the ones we want to protect.