Received at Matignon on Thursday and Friday, the leaders of the parliamentary groups stuck to their positions during their discussions with Elisabeth Borne about the future pension reform, against a backdrop of growing social tensions. At the same time, unions and employers were invited to the Ministry of Labor on Friday to discuss “employment rate of seniors and professional wear and tear”.
The low employment rate of seniors in France, which remains below the European average, is often held up as an argument against the government’s pension reform, which plans to raise the retirement age to 64 and then 65 by to 2031, to ensure the plan’s financial balance.
To promote the return to work of the over 55s, “one of the avenues could be to allow a senior who accepts a less well-paid job to keep part of his unemployment benefit in order to compensate for the loss of earnings. We can work on it”has already indicated the Minister of Labour, Olivier Dussopt, who wishes “also promote phased retirement and combined employment and retirement”.
Summary of a European and generational gap in four infographics.
With an employment rate of 55-64 year olds of 55.9%, France is below the European average (60.5%) and is even further behind than Germany (71.8 %).
The differential is especially strong for the 60-64 age group, with the 55-59 age group being above the European average.
