In addition to its content, the pension reform is widely criticized for its temporary nature. Translation: given the economic context (rising prices, falling purchasing power, etc.), the French think that now is not the time.
As a result, the prospect of this reform weighs even more on the morale of the French people, already badly damaged by the current situation.
According to the latest edition of the Odoxa-AGIPI-Challenges-BFM Business Economic Barometer*, economic morale in February fell to its lowest level in two years with 79% “challenging” in the future.
Morale at its lowest level since February 2021
“Our Economic Sentiment Index (Confident Least Defiant), already at its lowest level in recent months, finds a way to drop another 2 points since January, from -56 last month to -58 this month, the worst level we have ever seen. we have recorded in this barometer. for two years. We have to go back to February 2021, in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic”, comments Gaël Sliman, president of Odoxa.
Consequently, the forecasts of the French for the year 2023 are catastrophic: 72% anticipate a year of economic difficulties. “The forecasts of our fellow citizens have only deteriorated for nine months. Last May, when inflation skyrocketed in Europe, the French were 7 points less than today when anticipating a catastrophic year 2022 ”, he continues.
La réforme des retraites explicerait en grande partie ce pessimisme: les deux-tiers (65%) des Français think that this reforme aura an effect on our economy estimate that this effect will be negatif car it finally goes to the croissance en provoquant des grèves et demonstrations.
A sharp acceleration of mistrust in the pension reform
The majority of the French consider this reform “unfair” (74%) and “ineffective” (75%) and also do not believe that it will guarantee our pension system (67%) or reduce public deficits (72%).
Worse still, this distrust has accelerated particularly in a month despite the efforts of the government.
Compared to last month, the French are 2 points more for finding it “socially unfair”, 4 points more for finding it “neither effective nor sustainable”, 14 points more for not thinking that “it will make it possible to reduce public deficits”. in France” and even 17 more points for not believing that “it will make it possible to guarantee our pension system”, underlines Gaël Sliman.
So many elements that plunge the French into depression, much more than their European neighbors. Thus, 21% of those surveyed say they have much more confidence in the future of the country’s economic situation compared to 38% in Europe (40% in Italy, 39% in the United Kingdom, 38% in Germany).
*: Survey carried out on a sample of French people questioned over the Internet from January 25 to 26, 2023. Sample of 1004 French people representative of the French population aged 18 and over. The representativeness of the sample is ensured by the quota method.
Source: BFM TV
