![]() "But the problem isn't an immediate crisis - it's a future burden based on economic projections. "He wants to push it through before he steps down at the end of this term. "This is Macron's flagship policy," David S Bell, emeritus professor of French government and politics at the University of Leeds, tells Sky News. There are only 1.7 workers for every pensioner in France, down from 2.1 in 2000. It also means the workforce is shrinking. In the third quarter of 2022, national debt stood at 113.4% of GDP - more than in the UK (100.2%), Germany (66.6%), and similar to struggling economies like Spain (115.6%) and Portugal (120.1%). The 2020 bid to change the pension system had already failed and resulted in the longest strikes in French history.įrance's generous welfare state has long weighed heavily on the economy and workforce. This is because her and Mr Macron's En Marche party lost their absolute majority at last year's election and they had no guarantee of getting it through, despite it passing in the Senate. Just minutes before they were due to be voted on in the National Assembly this month, she announced they would be forced through with Article 49.3 instead, causing outrage.įrench MPs' singing in protest inside parliament The French president's current PM, Elisabeth Borne, announced the proposed pension changes on 10 January. Mr Macron's former prime minster Edouard Philippe tried to use it for pension reform in March 2020 but failed when the COVID pandemic broke out. It has been used more than 80 times since its inception, most notably by former socialist prime minister Michel Rocard 28 times between 19 under then president Francois Mitterrand. ![]() It was introduced by Charles de Gaulle in 1958 to bring about greater political stability and expand government powers. What is article 49.3 and why did Macron use it?Īrticle 49.3 is a part of the French constitution that enables a government to pass a law without a vote by MPs in the National Assembly. ![]() The number of years someone will have to make contributions to get the full state pension will increase from 42 to 43 in 2027. This will be done gradually by three months a year from September 2023 until September 2030. Mr Macron's changes will see the age that workers can receive a state pension increase to 64.
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