Overview

• The freeze holds the retirement age at 62 years and 9 months and the required 170 quarters, with the government citing 3.5 million beneficiaries and short‑term costs of about €400 million in 2026 and €1.8 billion in 2027.
• Ministers offered conflicting routes for enacting the pause, though Lecornu said an amendment to the social‑security budget would be filed in November.
• The Socialist Party said it will not back Thursday’s censure motions, leaving them roughly two dozen votes short despite pockets of dissent.
• The 2026 plan pairs roughly €30 billion in savings with up to €14 billion in new revenues via higher levies on top incomes and family holdings, frozen tax brackets and doubled medical franchises.
• With 49.3 off the table, leaders expect prolonged and uncertain budget votes, as EU officials warn of fiscal implications and unions and employers split over the concessions.