French PM backs freezing Macron’s pension reform to avoid wasting authorities

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<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/60a1/live/40888de0-a90f-11f0-8c8d-5d0236fc6cce.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Bloomberg via Getty Images Sebastien Lecornu, France's prime minister, presents his 2026 budget at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. Lecornu was reappointed on Friday, just four days after resigning amid political infighting" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs Sébastien Lecornu introduced the deliberate suspension two days earlier than his new authorities confronted votes of confidence

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has informed parliament he backs suspending controversial 2023 pension reforms, within the face of essential votes of no-confidence later this week.

The modifications, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64, had been seen as signature reforms in Emmanuel Macron's presidency.

"This autumn I'll suggest to parliament that we droop the 2023 pension reform till the [2027] presidential election," Lecornu mentioned to applause from left-wing events.

Lecornu was reappointed prime minister final week solely 4 days after he resigned, and wishes the assist of Socialist MPs in parliament if his authorities is to outlive.

Opposition events on the far proper and much left have known as confidence votes, often called "censure" votes on Lecornu's authorities, for Thursday morning and are demanding parliamentary elections.

The Socialists mentioned they might be ready to assist the brand new authorities, however provided that it guarantees an entire suspension of Macron's pension modifications.

"If he doesn't explicitly say the phrases 'instant and full suspension of the pension reform', it is going to be censure," Socialist MP Laurent Baumel mentioned earlier on French TV.

"He's holding his future in his personal palms. He is aware of what he has do if he does not wish to be the prime minister who resigns each week."

The reforms had been lastly pushed via parliament in March 2023, lower than a 12 months after Macron was voted in for a second presidential time period.

There had been months of political debate, strikes and road protests, and ultimately the invoice needed to undergo and not using a vote in parliament utilizing a constitutional mechanism often called 49:3.

Final week, Lecornu mentioned it was one thing many French folks remembered as a "wound on democracy" .

On Tuesday he made it plain to MPs that suspending the pension reform would value €400m (£350m) in 2026 and an additional €1.8bn (£1.57bn) in 2027. This must be "compensated by different financial savings," Lecornu mentioned.

Lecornu is France's third prime minister previously 12 months however even when he does survive he must get a funds via parliament that brings down a funds deficit heading for five.4% of financial output (GDP) this 12 months.

France's public debt earlier this 12 months stood at €3.4tn, or virtually 114% of GDP, the third highest within the eurozone after Greece and Italy.

Lecornu has been one in all Macron's most loyal allies, so his determination to row again on such a contested reform reveals how eager the president is to keep away from additional turmoil.

Philippe Aghion, who was collectively awarded the 2025 Nobel economics prize on Monday, mentioned earlier that he additionally backed a suspension of the pension reform, as a result of it might nonetheless come at a smaller value than the instability that might comply with one other authorities collapse.

"We're residing via an period of disaster," Lecornu informed MPs. "Some folks need the scenario to show right into a regime disaster, however that will not occur."

Promising a "critical and dependable funds", the prime minister additionally vowed to deliver an finish to reliance on the 49:3 mechanism to push via authorized modifications and not using a vote. Since late 2022, each funds has needed to be pressured via and not using a vote.

Repeatedly, he informed the chamber that "the federal government will suggest, we are going to debate and you'll vote".

Parliament could have "the ultimate phrase", he mentioned.

To audible groans from MPs, Lecornu proposed a working group to look into pensions, and mentioned it must decide by the point of the following presidential election.

France's funds deficit is much above the EU goal of three% of GDP, and Lecornu mentioned that reversing the pension reform must be "financially compensated, together with via cost-saving measures. It can't be carried out on the expense of an elevated deficit".

Marine Le Pen's hard-right Nationwide Rally (RN) and the radical-left France Unbowed (LFI) of Jean-Luc Mélenchon have each tabled confidence votes in Lecornu's authorities on Thursday, however would want the assist of centre-left events to deliver him down.

The RN's Sébastien Chenu confirmed his occasion would vote towards Lecornu later this week. "We're not fooled by something and can't be purchased," he mentioned. "Good day and goodbye, Mr Prime Minister."

Mathilde Panot of France Unbowed additionally railed towards Lecornu and Macron. "No person believes in you any longer," she mentioned.

However a triumphant Boris Vallaud of the Socialists mentioned the prime minister's determination on the pension reform was a "victory".

"The French had been ready to your assertion and we had been ready for an indication that you just'd heard them... The suspension of the pension reform: right here it's finally."

The assist of the centrist bloc and the Socialists ought to give Lecornu sufficient votes to move his funds in parliament – however the numbers stay extraordinarily tight, and any breaking of the ranks may lead to him being toppled.

Le Pen and Mélenchon imagine elections are the one approach of ending the political impasse that got here out of snap elections known as by Macron in the summertime of 2024.

That impasse turned to turmoil final week when Lecornu resigned as prime minister 26 days after Macron had appointed him, and solely hours after he had named his authorities.

In every week of political twists and drama, Macron then reappointed him late on Friday.

The transfer was broadly seen as a last-ditch try by the president to train management over an more and more rudderless Nationwide Meeting, which has been splintered into three distinct factions because the 2024 vote.

That hung parliament has resulted in two short-lived prime ministers who had been voted down inside months after they tried to place ahead their yearly budgets.