French PM proposes raising retirement age to 64 by 2030, unions call for strikes

Those who started working before the age of 20 will be able to get early retirement, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Tuesday unveiled a contentious pension overhaul aimed at raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, which prompted vigorous calls for strikes and protests from leftist opponents and labor unions.

Speaking in a news conference in Paris, Ms. Borne said the minimum retirement age to be entitled to a full pension will be gradually increased by three months every year, starting this year, in line with a longstanding pledge by President Emmanuel Macron.

In addition, people will need to have worked for at least 43 years to get a full pension, starting from 2027, she said.

“Working more will allow future retirees to get higher pensions,” Ms. Borne said.

“By 2030, our system will be financially balanced,” she added.

Those who started working before the age of 20 will be able to get early retirement, Ms. Borne added. Specific categories of workers such as police officers and firefighters will also be able to retire earlier.

The government argues that French people live longer than they used to and therefore need to work longer to make the pension system financially sustainable. All French workers receive a state pension.