Overview

• The first session of three months of negotiations on France's 2023 pension reform begins, involving unions, employer groups, and government representatives.
• Unions, led by the CGT and CFDT, demand a return to a retirement age of 62, citing financial viability through increased employment and adjusted contributions.
• Employer groups, including Medef, insist on maintaining the retirement age at 64, proposing alternatives like partial capitalized systems and indexing retirement age to life expectancy.
• The government has tasked negotiators with achieving financial balance for the pension system by 2030, as the current deficit is projected to grow significantly after stabilizing in 2025.
• Key discussion points include addressing gender disparities, job strain, and intergenerational equity, with stark disagreements on funding mechanisms and structural changes.