amendments regarding long-term careers allow for the inclusion of “approximately 20% additional people”, the Labor Minister said

This text corresponds to the transcription of the interview section above. Click on the video to watch the full interview.

Pensions were on the agenda of the National Assembly on Wednesday 12 November, with a vote on the suspension of the unpopular reform, adopted through 49.3 in March 2023, as part of the discussion of the Social Security financing bill. Sébastien Lecornu’s government has also proposed amendments to include long-term careers in this policy, a stance demanded by some left-wing groups. The guest of “4V” on France 2 on Wednesday, the Minister of Labor and Solidarity, Jean-Pierre Farandou, said more about the profession in question, but also about the costs to the State.

Gilles Bornstein: Long careers will benefit from suspending reform. Concretely, what does this mean?

Jean-Pierre Farandou: This is an early departure device. We have also integrated the so-called active and super active categories of civil servants. Concretely, this means we think of police officers, we think of firefighters, we think of sewer workers, we think of professional firefighters, we think of air traffic controllers…

So people who can leave early…

These are the people who could leave their countries more quickly, and they would also benefit from suspending reforms. So they will make a quarter profit. This is important. That means about 20% more people. This is an adjustment and we are returning to the framework defined by the Prime Minister in his general policy declaration.

How will this new policy be financed?

So first, let us remind you that amendments have been submitted. It’s been going on since 8 o’clock. We’re in the middle of the news. Financing is an important question because indeed, if you look at the size of the expenditure, the expenditure is estimated at 300 million euros for next year.

Initially the cost was 100 million. For this year, should it finally cost 300 million? What about next year?

Instead of spending 1.4 billion, we’re going to 1.9 billion. Last week, the National Assembly voted on the “revenue” portion of the Social Security financing bill for next year. There is an additional CSG of 1.4 points resulting in 2.7 billion. I think these additional funds will likely be used.

So, it is not the pensioners themselves who will finance this development, but the entire French people, thanks to the increase in taxes on wealth…

That’s it, with CSG about legacy. This will allow financing the suspension of these reforms until January 1, 2028.

Is the Farandou citizen in front of me convinced of the suspension of reform or does he tell himself that it is a necessary evil?

This delay in pension reform is clearly an act of political stability first and foremost. We see clearly that this is a necessary condition. The majority of French people understand that the government must be able to work to meet their expectations. We need a budget for France.

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