It’s no secret: senators from the Les Républicains party are in favor of pension reform. Gérard Larcher, a member of this political formation and president of the Senate, reaffirmed it this Thursday on BFMTV-RMC. “For four years, the Senate, each year in the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS), has voted for a pension reform mechanism,” recalled the second figure of the State.
While the executive must present a bill to the French on January 10 – with, in particular, the postponement of the legal age to 64 or 65 years – the LR senators are in favor of a “gradual step from 62 to 64 years”, as well as an “acceleration” of Tourraine’s reform, as Gérard Larcher explains. For this last point, it is a question of requiring 43 years of contribution to obtain a full pension of the generation of 1967 instead of that of 1973.
“Interest of our country”
The LR senators also call for “special attention to the long careers, to the choppy careers of women, the hardships and the professional training of the elderly.”
According to the head of the Luxembourg Palace, a reform is “in the interest of our country”. However, “we must make an educational effort with the French who, naturally, are not in favor of a pension reform.” And to continue:
“We have to explain to them that we have no choice but to raise contributions, therefore weighing on purchasing power and competitiveness, lower pensions, and the consequence is seen in purchasing power, or globally increase the time worked”
A social climate that reflects “the absence of dialogue”
Gérard Larcher points to the responsibility of the government in the social climate. According to him, this is “the reflection of the absence of social dialogue.” As proof, he points to the decree dated December 23 on unemployment insurance, which consisted of reducing the duration of compensation by 40% if unemployment fell below 6% – but whose withdrawal was finally announced on Monday by Élisabeth Borne. Initially, the government bill provided for a 25% reduction in the duration of compensation when unemployment is below 9%.
Gérard Larcher acknowledges that the LR senators were in favor of “this idea of modulating” unemployment according to the economic situation included in the executive reform, but this decree is a “form of deception” according to him regarding “social partners” and “parliamentarians”.
“I remind you that it is Parliament that votes the law, it is not the Government and that the decrees must respond to what was the will of the parliamentarians,” he insists.
LR deputies have not yet found a common position
Despite the almost assured support of the Senate with a LR majority on the pension reform, no mass is said in the other room. The deputies of the group chaired by Olivier Marleix have not yet tuned their violins. The latter explained that he does not “support[ait] pas” a reform that provides for the extension of the legal age of departure to 65 years.
Éric Ciotti, the new president of LR, has it, in the columns of the figaroasserted that “Republicans [étaient favorables] to a pension reform”, after meeting with Élisabeth Borne on December 21. He did not give details about the terms, but said he was “in phase” with those proposed by the Senate.
A project that “the LR family has been presenting for a long time”
Aurélien Pradié remains, who campaigned against the postponement of the age of majority during the LR congress, and received during this electoral period the support of several deputies from the group such as Pierre-Henri Dumont or Raphaël Schellenberger.
In front of those who might show their reluctance, Gérard Larcher recalled that the pension reform is “a project that the LR family has presented for a long time”, in particular during the presidential campaigns of Valérie Pécresse and François Fillon.
Enough to achieve an alliance of the majority with the right? “Yes, if the Government also listens to the proposals of our fellow deputies”, judges the president of the Senate.
Source: BFM TV
