02:05 PM
Monday, January 23, 2023
Paris – (AFP):
The French government will present during a cabinet meeting on Monday its plan to reform the pension system without making any concessions on the main demands of the unions, which are determined to step up mobilization after a successful rally.
Employment Minister Olivier Dusopt will then address the press with government spokesman Olivier Ferrand.
After a first day of strikes and demonstrations that gathered Thursday between one and two million people in the street, and before the second day scheduled for January 31, President Emmanuel Macron and his government seize this official meeting to reaffirm their goal, which is an accelerated parliamentary debate leading to the entry into force of the controversial project by summer.
The trade unions, the bulk of the opposition forces, and a large majority of the French, according to opinion polls, reject the main clause in this reform, which stipulates postponing the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.
On Sunday, the president considered that he had shown “openness” regarding the program for his second term, which was mainly to delay the retirement age to 65 years, but he refused to say clearly whether he would stick to the end of the age of 64, in order not to influence the parliamentary debate.
Macron said, “I hope that the government (with parliamentarians) will amend” the text, but he stressed that “the needs are known,” stressing, “I think we must now be able to move forward.”
The ministers are also ready for “dialogue” in order to “enrich” the text, but only in the margins without affecting its essence.
In the face of public discontent, the government is trying to take a positive stance, and Olivier Veran said, “I don’t see a million people on the street, but a million people who have to be persuaded.” He presented the plan to reform the French pension system during a cabinet
Paris – (AFP):
The French government will present during a cabinet meeting on Monday its plan to reform the pension system without making any concessions on the main demands of the unions, which are determined to step up mobilization after a successful rally.
Employment Minister Olivier Dusopt will then address the press with government spokesman Olivier Ferrand.
After a first day of strikes and demonstrations that gathered Thursday between one and two million people in the street, and before the second day scheduled for January 31, President Emmanuel Macron and his government seize this official meeting to reaffirm their goal, which is an accelerated parliamentary debate leading to the entry into force of the controversial project by summer.
The trade unions, the bulk of the opposition forces, and a large majority of the French, according to opinion polls, reject the main clause in this reform, which stipulates postponing the retirement age from 62 to 64 years.
On Sunday, the president considered that he had shown “openness” regarding the program for his second term, which was mainly to delay the retirement age to 65 years, but he refused to say clearly whether he would stick to the end of the age of 64, in order not to influence the parliamentary debate.
Macron said, “I hope that the government (with parliamentarians) will amend” the text, but he stressed that “the needs are known,” stressing, “I think we must now be able to move forward.”
The ministers are also ready for “dialogue” in order to “enrich” the text, but only in the margins without affecting its essence.
Faced with public discontent, the government is trying to take a positive stance. “I don’t see a million people on the street, but a million people who have to be persuaded,” said Olivier Veran.
