The minister responsible for public accounts, Gabriel Attal, this Sunday praised “the responsibility” of the boss of Les Républicains (LR) Eric Ciotti, in opposition, who said he was ready to vote for “a just reform” of pensions. “I pay tribute to the responsibility of all those who are ready to seek a solution to allow our pension system to continue,” said Gabriel Attal on France 3.
“And then I pay homage to the responsibility of those who are consistent with the commitments made with the French”, he added, underlining that Les Républicains, “said during the presidential campaign that a pension reform was needed with a lowering of the legal age. In an interview with Sunday newspaperEric Ciotti said he wanted “to be able to vote for a fair reform that saves our pay-as-you-go pension system”, specifying that this reform is justified “by the budgetary, demographic and economic situation”.
Reform for a longer period
Gabriel Attal assured that the presidential majority has not reached any agreement with the Republicans, whose support is needed to adopt the reform in the National Assembly without the constitutional weapon of 49.3. On Tuesday, the government will unveil its reform project, contested by the unions, with a possible postponement of the retirement age to 64, instead of the current 62, after taking into account the 65.
For Eric Ciotti the reform must “spread over two five-year mandates”, with an increase in the legal starting age to 63 in 2027 and then to 64 in 2032. “We have always shown that we are open to compromise”, assured Gabriel Attal in response, “that we were ready to work, that we were ready to present a reform as soon as it guarantees the balance of our system”. “We have announced a lowering of the legal age beyond ten”, he continued, “then we can adjust things”: “we have always said that it would be done gradually, towards 2031”.
