PARIS / FRANCE: In a major political retreat, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced the suspension of President Emmanuel Macron’s deeply unpopular pension reform in a desperate bid to preserve his government from collapse.
The controversial reform — aimed at raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 — had sparked months of mass protests and paralyzed French cities since its passage in 2023. Facing renewed unrest and two looming no-confidence motions in parliament, Lecornu told lawmakers that the plan will now be deferred until after the next presidential election, signaling a rare moment of concession from the ruling camp.
The prime minister assured that no increase in retirement age will take effect before January 2028, adding that future legislative changes would be made only through open debate, unlike the previous use of constitutional provisions that bypassed full parliamentary approval.
Political analysts view the decision as a tactical maneuver rather than a permanent reversal. The government’s survival now hinges on support from centrist and Socialist deputies, who had demanded the suspension as a precondition for backing Lecornu’s administration.
The suspension, however, carries heavy fiscal consequences. Official estimates suggest the delay could cost France up to €1.8 billion by 2027, placing further strain on the already fragile state budget.
While the move has temporarily diffused street tensions, it underscores the growing instability in Macron’s second term, marked by rising public discontent and fractured alliances in parliament. Observers warn that the crisis is far from over, as Lecornu continues to navigate between political survival and economic reform.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.