“A serious social regression”, “a declaration of social war”, “an unjust reform”: the reactions were not long in coming after the presentation of the pension reform by Elisabeth Borne and her ministers this Tuesday evening. If La France insoumise denounces a dangerous step back, Marine Le Pen is already positioning herself as the great opposition force of the government in the Assembly for this reform. Olivier Marleix, president of the group Les Républicains in the hemicycle, meanwhile showed himself “satisfied to have been heard”.
LFI hears a “serious social regression”
Many of the elected officials of La France insoumise castigated the Prime Minister’s announcements on Twitter. Clémence Guetté, MP for Val-de-Marne, speaks of “sentence”. “It’s a double penalty for long and painful careers, for women,” she denounces. Mathilde Panot goes further and speaks of a “declaration of social war” by the executive. The leader of the rebels, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, evokes him a “serious social regression”.
Postponement of the starting age. Increase in annuities. Abolition of advantageous special diets. Reform #Macron#Thick headed it is a serious social regression. #PensionReform
— Jean-Luc Melenchon (@JLMelenchon) January 10, 2023
Rebellious personalities have already started to popularize the hashtag #StopRetraiteMacron, in anticipation of a rally against the measures before the end of January.
The RN accuses the left and the LRs
The National Rally sets the tone. It will be their group that will “stop this unjust reform”. Marine Le Pen, who came second in the last presidential election, stressed “the support of the LRs” which allowed Emmanuel Macron, “elected thanks to the left and rebellious France”, to “bring retirement to 64 years old”.
After being elected thanks to the left and rebellious France, Emmanuel Macron will now try, with the support of LR, to bring retirement to 64 years old. The French can count on all our determination to block this unjust reform.
– Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) January 10, 2023
Jordan Bardella, president of the party, also evokes a “social war” led by Emmanuel Macron. He points to the roles of elected LRs in this reform, “to which a majority of French people are opposed”: “Will they remain the crutch of an unpopular government and finally assume before their voters that they belong to the majority of Emmanuel Macron?” he asks on his Twitter account.
The LRs “satisfied to have been heard”
The Republicans consider themselves “satisfied”. The president of the group at the National Assembly Olivier Marleix believes “to have been heard” on the rate of postponement of the retirement age and the revaluation of small pensions. “We take note that the Prime Minister has heard a number of requests, the first and most important is that the pace is not brutal,” he told reporters, saying his group would present an amendment for “a real review clause” once the departure age is raised to 63 and before “continuing if necessary at 64”.
The Medef also welcomed “the pragmatic and responsible decisions” taken by the government to reform the pension system, while remaining “opposed to the principle of a senior index” which will oblige companies to publish the share of their elderly employees. “Ensuring the future of this pillar of the country’s social model, while maintaining the purchasing power of active and retired people, necessarily leads to working longer,” says the first French employers’ organization.