Despite all the efforts of the unions and the opposition, nothing could have prevented the pension reform from being adopted and then promulgated by the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron. While its implementation is now scheduled for September 1, the French are preparing for an increase in the legal retirement age by two years. To do this, they can now consult the recently updated official simulator. Pending this important deadline and while the executive wants to move forward on new reforms, three important issues remain to be arbitrated. We take stock for you.
The pension reform may have been passed, but it must now be put in place and the final major details settled. Private sector employees, civil servants and women are therefore now in the sights of these measures to be specified. On the side of Agirc-Arrco, the supplementary scheme for private sector employees, it is the imposing financial surpluses that raise questions. With 2.6 billion euros in 2021 and more than 5 billion in 2022, the accounts of the complementary should remain in the green with a surplus which could be around 1.7 billion this year.
As the last framework agreement reached in 2019 expires this fall, the timing seems perfect for the unions to launch different avenues to follow. Among them, the possible abolition of the bonus-malus supposed to encourage employees to leave later should be mentioned. There is also a risk of an increase in pensions, as well as a reduction in contributions.
On the side of the fund of territorial and hospital agents, things are going less well. The CNRACL accumulates, in fact, the losses, in particular 4.5 billion euros in three years. Its deficit should thus widen this year, with a figure estimated at 2.8 billion, according to the Social Security Accounts Commission.
In question ? The increase in the number of retirees by more than 3% per year while that of contributors, estimated at 2.2 million, has remained stable for a decade. As Le Télégramme reports, the Court of Auditors is worried about this situation and an increase in contributions “largely insufficient to cover (that) of the deficit”.
Finally, women are also at the heart of the debate, especially mothers and widows. “Family rights”, as well as the survivor’s pension, should see specific changes with the 2024 Social Security budget, which will be presented in September.
For the time being, the executive has not communicated on this delicate subject, with major budgetary stakes, with 20 billion euros for the first and 37 billion euros for the second. The government has mentioned a first possibility by considering transforming the quarters granted to mothers into a “bonus” from the first child.
