France raises retirement age to 64
A protester throws cardboard to keep the fire going on March 16, 2023, at Concorde square near the National Assembly. (AP/Thomas Padilla)
Thousands of people lit up the streets of France with fire, deafening shouts of rage, and banners that read, “Retirement before Arthritis!” on Mar. 17, 2023.
This is how the French responded to their government raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.
In the current system, where the retirement age is 62, the working population pays for retirees’ pensions. The bill to raise the retirement age to 64 was proposed by the French government in hopes to change this system.
“[The system] is no longer fit for purpose,” said Macron’s cabinet, when asked why this change needs to happen. Macron also believes that passing the bill will make France’s economy more competitive.
At first, it seemed like the bill wouldn’t pass as majority votes were not guaranteed in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
Macron ordered his Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, to use a special constitutional power, called “Article 49.3,” on Mar. 16, 2023, which allows the bill to pass through to the constitutional council without a vote in the National Assembly.
Lawmakers had the next 24 hours to propose a no-confidence vote, which was required to get approval from half of the seats to get the bill repealed.
The first one was proposed by a centrist group and missed by nine votes, getting 278 out of the required 287 votes, allowing the bill to pass to the council.
In response to this, thousands of people gathered in front of the National Assembly, at the Place de la Concorde on Mar. 16, 2023 and lit a bonfire. It lasted through the night, until police started detaining people.
There were also multiple other protests that broke out in cities such as Nantes, Bordeaux, Marseille, and Brest to show their disapproval.
There have also been strikes from public workers, teachers, and garbage collectors. Due to this, trash has been piling up on the sidewalks and fires break out frequently from the protests.
If this bill is successful in the council, it means workers have to put more money into the system and would require 43 years of work to earn a full pension.
