This Tuesday, the Assembly is considering a law called “Aging well”, a text to meet the challenge of aging and dependency. A law that struggles to find its place in the period. Jean-Rémi Baudot’s political brief.
In politics, do you have to make a lot of noise to be effective? This question, which could be a subject of examination at Science-Po, illustrates this bill “Aging well” debated from Tuesday, April 11, 2023 in the National Assembly. For years, politicians, Emmanuel Macron in the lead, have been promising a “Grand Age” law, like a promise of revolution on the care of dependency and the elderly. But it is finally a rather discreet text which arrives at the Assembly.
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Does discretion mean lack of ambition? Not necessarily. This law comprises fourteen articles with some very concrete elements. The fight against the isolation of seniors, respite solutions for caregivers, vehicle financing for home helpers, measures against abuse in nursing homes, or even a one-stop shop for families facing dependency situations .
A small effective law rather than a large “catch-all” law?
Insufficient for a part of the opposition which calls for a total overhaul of the organization of “Old age”. In the Social Affairs Committee, the Insoumis François Ruffin compared this law to “a tiny little thing”, when the socialist Jérôme Guedj expressed his “gigantic frustration”.
On the executive side, we see things differently. “This law does not cover the whole question, but it advances on many subjects“, pleads a counselor. In the entourage of the Minister of Solidarity, Jean-Christophe Combe, we plead efficiency and pragmatism rather than a great “catch-all” law. “When things are ready, you have to go.” we say at the ministry, where we also recall that not everything is covered by the law and that other measures will be included in the next social security budget such as candidate Macron’s promise of an “adaptive bonus” , to help the elderly to stay at home.
Matignon is worried about a triptych “retirements – old age – end of life”
On the budget side, the financing of the 5th branch of Social Security (the “autonomy” branch) has increased: it goes from 32 to 42 billion euros between 2021 and 2026. But in politics, there are things that cannot be not count in billions. It is the political bearing of this reform: it has been nine months since Minister Jean-Christophe Combe is almost the only one to carry the subject.
The Élysée, like Matignon, is obviously following the case. But the executive is too busy with pensions to make dependency a unifying political subject. “There’s a timing issue.” sighs a Renaissance executive. “Beware of the triptych retirements – old age – end of life”, we grumble at Matignon. And that’s how a central subject, and which concerns all French people, remains under the radar.
However, a figure to grasp the challenge: the French over 85 years old are more than two million today. They will be almost five million in 2050.