“The sweet before the salty”. This is the expression that the executive used with BFMTV this Friday when describing the logic observed in the development of the pension reform project and especially around the announcement schedule. The idea is to highlight the sweetest news first and save the bitterest for a second.
Beloved by Emmanuel Macron since his first term, initiated by his prime minister at the time Édouard Philippe and later repudiated by the Covid crisis, this reform of the pension system ended up acquiring the air of an Arlesiana at the Élysée.
The candidate for president, however, has made it one of his workhorses in the face of his re-election and the debates around the project should occupy the political class and public opinion in the coming weeks. And even safer, over the next few months. Negotiations with the social partners are still ongoing.
This Friday, the political service of BFMTV takes stock of the road map planned by the Executive and the methods it intends to use to try to soften an issue that becomes even more burning due to a less than bleak economic context. However, the fears and doubts surrounding the government plan are great even within the majority.
A still “open” roadmap
With “gradual” reform, gradual introduction. The executive first set a strict schedule based on our information. After the opening of the third session of negotiations with the unions, the government chose to occupy the space. On Thursday night, the interview given by Élisabeth Borne to the Parisian has been released. Give way to the “sweet”: exit at full rate always guaranteed at age 67, minimum retirement of 1,200 euros, end of special regimes only for new entrants, without increase in social security contributions or reduction in pensions.
The “salty” will wait. Thus, when it comes to finding out if the French will have to retire at 65, in accordance with the wishes of the head of state, the head of government contacts the Parisian: “The consultations have not ended and all the arbitrations have not yet been carried out. The last cycle of discussions is just beginning.”
In the process, it is up to his Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, to provide after-sales service to the press this Friday: “The first bilateral discussions began last night. We don’t want to prejudge the outcome.”
“We have this roadmap (raise the starting age to 64 and then 65, editor’s note), but we also said that it was not a totem pole, that it was not a taboo, that we are open to proposals,” he added.
From December 15 to summer
This Friday, the ministers still had to gather in the afternoon around the Prime Minister for a meeting dedicated to pensions. The extension of the calendar is announced as follows: union consultations until the end of next week, the presentation of the project in detail on December 15 and the sending of the text to the Council of State for optimal framing.
After which, according to our elements, the project should reach the table of the Council of Ministers at the beginning of January and then Parliament at the end of the month.
We also note that Elisabeth Borne was more cautious with the daily Ile-de-France: “The text must be submitted to the Council of Ministers early next year, for an examination in Parliament in the spring.” The entry into force of the law is not nebulous at all. The executive wants it before the end of the summer.
A particularly unfavorable context
If the government advances like this step by step and in stages, it is because it knows that its turn is expected. The issue of a reform of the pension system is itself explosive and has derailed many executives since the Juppé government in 1995.
In addition, skyrocketing energy bills and rising inflation are further fueling concerns about the future. In this context, the hope of the State leadership to avoid a social movement seems illusory. At the very least, he tries to scale it down by going to the piano and showing off his eagerness for “pedagogy”.
Even if it means stretching the suspense around the most painful decisions, such as stopping the legal retirement age, Emmanuel Macron himself oscillates between leaving at 65… or at 64 with an extension of the duration of contributions .
“Ultra-anxiety” and “bad timing”?
The Prime Minister’s entourage is well aware of the political danger, as this confidence to BFMTV demonstrates: “This reform causes a lot of anxiety, it must be seen as an opportunity and not as a setback. We will not touch the difficulties and we are going to strongly promote the use of old people”.
However, the pace adopted by the government to reassure the French does not present any guarantee of success. Especially since he is already struggling to convince the majority. “It’s a bad time before Christmas. Everyone will be talking about it over the family meal,” a Renaissance MP told BFMTV. “There is the return of the Covid, the power outages… Add pensions to that, which is a lot! Beware of the deaf anger of the French that can explode,” warns a power adviser.
Therefore, it is preparing to redouble its efforts to stop the blows. Thus, next week, several ministers will be sent to the field to talk about pensions, always with the aim of appeasing. No doubt they too will have to weigh his words.
Source: BFM TV
