French Unions and Employers Begin Contentious Pension Reform Negotiations

Talks focus on reversing the retirement age increase to 64 while addressing financial sustainability by 2030.

The first session of three months of negotiations on France's 2023 pension reform begins, involving unions, employer groups, and government representatives.
Unions, led by the CGT and CFDT, demand a return to a retirement age of 62, citing financial viability through increased employment and adjusted contributions.
Employer groups, including Medef, insist on maintaining the retirement age at 64, proposing alternatives like partial capitalized systems and indexing retirement age to life expectancy.
The government has tasked negotiators with achieving financial balance for the pension system by 2030, as the current deficit is projected to grow significantly after stabilizing in 2025.
Key discussion points include addressing gender disparities, job strain, and intergenerational equity, with stark disagreements on funding mechanisms and structural changes.