“Finally here we are!” exclaimed the head of the Republican senators Bruno Retailleau on Saturday night, after the Senate vote on pension reform in the first reading. 195 elected members of the Upper House agreed with the senatorial version of the text, and 112 opposed it, after a week of intense debates, in an atmosphere sometimes far from the calm that usually reigns in the Luxembourg Palace.
In addition to the postponement from 62 to 64 of the legal retirement age contained in Article 7, the senators added numerous measures to the bill.
• Increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64 years
A key measure of the government reform, widely shouted in the streets by the protesters, the postponement of the retirement age had been defended for several years by the senatorial right.
Contained in article 7 of the reform, the measure was voted by the senators on the night of March 8 to 9, by 201 votes in favor and 115 against.
• Creation of a “senior CDI”
During the first five days of debate, the senators promoted, against the advice of the government, the creation of a “CDI seniors”, in order to promote the hiring of older employees.
The measure aims to exempt employers of people over the age of 60 from family contributions. The contract lasts until the employee retires. The Government has been more than circumspect with this measure sought by the senatorial right, pointing to a cost of 800 million euros.
• A surcharge for the pensions of certain mothers
With the government’s go-ahead this time, the senators also adopted a 5% “surcharge” for certain mothers’ pensions. The measure points to a “surplus” pension of 1.25% quarterly up to 5% for women who exceed the 43 required annuities, under the effect of the maternity and parenting quarters.
The measure, which amounts to 300 million euros, goes “in the right direction”, declared the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt.
• The extended long stroke scheme
On March 9, the senators voted for the extension of the long-career system, to those who started working between the ages of 20 and 21, for an early departure at 63.
Currently, starting a career before the age of 20 can allow an early retirement of two years, and joining the world of work before the age of 16 can give the right to an early retirement of four years.
But on Friday, March 10, the debates experienced a sharp reduction, with the activation by the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt of article 44-3, also called “blocked vote”. Specifically, after this decision, the discussions in the chamber were limited to the presentation of the amendments. As for articles 9 to 20, it is therefore the version of the text desired by the government that was adopted by the senators.
Source: BFM TV
