Why pension reform is at the heart of the negotiations

It is “a red line” for each political side. While Emmanuel Macron continues his consultations with a view to appointing a Prime Minister, on Wednesday, September 4, one element appears to be blocking: the questioning of the pension reform adopted in 2023. This had pushed back the legal retirement age to 64. Very unpopular, it was considered necessary by the Macronist camp and had provoked long months of demonstrations.

On the left, the New Popular Front (NFP) and its 193 deputies have made the repeal of the law one of the key themes of the legislative campaign, its program promising a “common objective of the right to retire at 60”. Since the President’s refusal to appoint Lucie Castets, who was nevertheless chosen by the left-wing alliance for Matignon, La France Insoumise and Les Ecologistes-EELV have not changed their position on this subject. Only the Socialist Party appears a little more divided, particularly in the face of a possible appointment of Bernard Cazeneuve, the last Prime Minister of François Hollande’s term.

On Radio J, the socialist deputy Jérôme Guedj said he was in favour of a “freeze” rather than a “repeal” of the reform. If Bernard Cazeneuve “If the repeal is obtained, I will think about it, of course”echoed the first secretary of the PS, Olivier Faure, on BFMTV. The next day, The party’s national office was more firm, reiterating its desire to repeal the reform, in a letter explaining the socialists’ red lines in the event of supporting a Prime Minister other than Lucie Castets.

The socialist position greatly complicates any potential discussions with the presidential camp. Some voices – in the minority – had nevertheless shown a little openness on the subject. On LCI, François Bayrou, the president of the MoDem, said: “persuaded” to be able to “find a better balance”. Sunday, the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet stated on France Inter that she “don’t close the door” to developments, particularly on the “hardship”. A way of giving assurances to the socialist deputies in the event of the nomination of Bernard Cazeneuve.

But above all, a majority of the Macronist camp refuses to hear talk of going backwards. “We have always said it, it is a red line for us and it is not a pleasure to do it. We have no other way than to make sure we work a little more”assured MP Sylvain Maillard on franceinfo on Tuesday. “I will oppose any removal of pension reform or the immigration law”added Benjamin Haddad on France 2. Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe even stated that he was in favor of retirement at 67, in his declaration of candidacy for the presidential election.

Beyond the negotiations between political blocs, the appointment of a Prime Minister who would promise to repeal the pension reform by Emmanuel Macron is not the most likely, as the head of state seems determined to preserve his political legacy. Has Bernard Cazeneuve, who spoke with the president on Monday, made the subject one of his red lines as some media outlets have explained? “He is a left-wing and responsible man”his entourage replied to franceinfo, without giving further details.

Enough to push the head of state to seek a solution on the right, with Xavier Bertrand, the president of the Hauts-de-France region. Maintaining the reform is indeed one of the priorities of the “emergency legislative pact” proposed by Laurent Wauquiez’s troops, despite the divisions that had appeared among Les Républicains during the vote. Even if the next Prime Minister is in favour of pension reform, he will have to face a National Assembly with a majority in favour of its repeal.

This question should therefore very quickly return to the heart of the debates, especially since the proposal was part of the National Rally’s programme during the legislative elections. “We will propose the repeal of the pension reform on October 31”promised the far-right MP Sébastien Chenu on BFMTV. The 126 RN votes could therefore join those of the NFP to challenge one of the symbols of Emmanuel Macron’s second term.