Gabriel Attal’s successor also said he was open to the participation of “left-wing people” in his future government.
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He assures us that the work will be put back on the table. Michel Barnier wants “open the debate” for a “improvement” of the controversial pension reform adopted in 2023, without however “question everything”declared the new Prime Minister on TF1’s 8pm news on Friday, September 6.
“I will open the debate on improving this law for the most vulnerable people and I will do so with the social partners”said the historic figure of the Republican party, called to Matignon by Emmanuel Macron the day before. “Don’t ask me to say where we are going to end up. I want to start improving this issue, but within the budgetary framework.”said Gabriel Attal’s successor.
A supporter of raising the legal age to 65 during the LR primary in 2021, Michel Barnier refused to say whether he would reverse the shift from 62 to 64 during the 2023 reform. “We are not going to question everything”insisted the Prime Minister, who recalled that “This law was passed under very difficult conditions”. “I think we work better with Parliament, [et] that we must respect and take into account the social partners, the unions”he added.
The New Popular Front (NFP) and the RN want to reduce the legal age to 62. Socialist and centrist voices are instead calling for a re-discuss of the parameters. The Macronists and the right are calling for maintaining the reform in the name of “serious” budgetary.
On TF1, Michel Barnier also recalled the few priorities he had already mentioned during the transfer of power with Gabriel Attal, namely immigration, work, debt and public services. He also highlighted his “ability to bring people together”and said he was open to the presence in government of people “of good will” from the right as well as from the presidential camp or from the left. The Prime Minister finally denied being in a position of “difficult cohabitation” as he experienced it as a minister under François Mitterrand, assuring that “The government will govern, and I will do so in good understanding with the President of the Republic”.
