The Cabinet of Ministers today approved a controversial reform of the pension system in Franceexpressing the will to fully implement it, while not yielding to the basic demands of the trade unions, which, for their part, intend to intensify their mobilization against this plan of the President Emmanuel Macron.

After a cabinet meeting, Labor Minister Olivier Dussaud ruled out reversing a major change that raised the retirement age to 64. “Retreating at this point would mean giving up trying to balance the system,” he said.

Raising the retirement age by two years, from 62 to 64, is already unanimously rejected by trade unions, most opposition parties and, according to opinion polls, most French citizens.

After the first day of strikes and demonstrations last Thursday, when 2 million people took to the streets in protest, and before the next strike on January 31, Macron and his government are reiterating their goal, which is to discuss the bill in parliament and introduce strength this summer. The president even said on Sunday that he had already made concessions to his original proposal, which originally called for retirement at 65. However, he seemed more categorical: “needs” are “known” and “I think we should now move on.” forward.”

His ministers hastened to assure that they were ready for a “dialogue” in order to “enrich” the bill, but only in its fields.

“Any time an amendment allows us to improve the text without abandoning either the goal of balancing by 2030 or the principles of reform, we are obviously open” to discussion, Dussault said at the presentation today, in very technical terms, the verdict.

All parties, with the exception of the traditional right, the Republicans, are pushing for a total repeal of the measures. France Insubscribed (the radical left) vowed to “resolutely resist”, while the far-right National Anxiety proposed a “referendum”.

The unions, for their part, hope they will increase their mobilization. “We hope to be heard even louder on January 31st,” said CGT Secretary General Philippe Martinez, stressing that “until then, there will be initiatives in businesses, in stores every day.”

Energy sector unions plan to use every means at their disposal to oppose reform, from giving free electricity to some consumers to cutting production. In Marseille, for example, the local trade union intends to reduce the energy bills of businesses such as bakeries that have recently been asking for large amounts due to rising energy costs.

Some of these Wood Robin union actions may involve schools and hospitals, said Fabrice Couture, federal secretary of the FNME-CGT (National Federation of Mines and Energy).

^{Source: APE-MEB, AFP.}