Macron Proposes Social Conference to Discuss Financing the Social Model
President Emmanuel Macron calls for a social conference with union and employer representatives while rejecting calls for a referendum on pension reform.
President Emmanuel Macron announced his intention to request the government to initiate a 'social conference' with labor and employer representatives to discuss the financing of France's social model.
This declaration was made during an interview on TF1 on May 13, 2025, where Macron addressed concerns raised by Sophie Binet, the general secretary of the CGT labor union.
He stated that he believes the current financing model relies excessively on labor income and emphasized the need to explore alternative sources of funding, particularly through consumption.
Macron stressed the importance of engaging all social partners in this initiative and proposed a 'negotiation' focused on the quality and evolving nature of work.
He noted a shift among younger generations and seniors, indicating that more individuals are disinterested in traditional employment structures and are seeking different working arrangements.
In contrast, Macron firmly rejected Binet's request to organize a referendum regarding the repeal of the pension reform, which had sparked widespread protests in 2023. The reform, enacted without parliamentary vote using Article 49.3 of the Constitution under former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, raised the legal retirement age from 62 to 64 years.
Prime Minister François Bayrou had earlier invited social partners to revisit discussions on the pension reform, promising to present any potential agreement to the Parliament for a vote.
Macron reiterated the necessity to fully engage in discussions surrounding the reform, urging that if stakeholders were genuinely concerned about workers, they would have remained at the negotiation table.
Following the deadlock, the CGT suspended its participation in talks post a meeting on March 19, where Bayrou declined to revert to the original retirement age of 62. Ongoing discussions continue with five of the eight social partners, while representatives from the U2P (Union of Artisans and Small Businesses) and Force Ouvrière have also exited the negotiations.
The current dialogue is expected to culminate by the end of May 2025. Binet expressed disappointment regarding the lack of concrete outcomes from recent engagements, particularly concerning improvements in wages, working conditions, pensions, or workers' benefits.
This declaration was made during an interview on TF1 on May 13, 2025, where Macron addressed concerns raised by Sophie Binet, the general secretary of the CGT labor union.
He stated that he believes the current financing model relies excessively on labor income and emphasized the need to explore alternative sources of funding, particularly through consumption.
Macron stressed the importance of engaging all social partners in this initiative and proposed a 'negotiation' focused on the quality and evolving nature of work.
He noted a shift among younger generations and seniors, indicating that more individuals are disinterested in traditional employment structures and are seeking different working arrangements.
In contrast, Macron firmly rejected Binet's request to organize a referendum regarding the repeal of the pension reform, which had sparked widespread protests in 2023. The reform, enacted without parliamentary vote using Article 49.3 of the Constitution under former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, raised the legal retirement age from 62 to 64 years.
Prime Minister François Bayrou had earlier invited social partners to revisit discussions on the pension reform, promising to present any potential agreement to the Parliament for a vote.
Macron reiterated the necessity to fully engage in discussions surrounding the reform, urging that if stakeholders were genuinely concerned about workers, they would have remained at the negotiation table.
Following the deadlock, the CGT suspended its participation in talks post a meeting on March 19, where Bayrou declined to revert to the original retirement age of 62. Ongoing discussions continue with five of the eight social partners, while representatives from the U2P (Union of Artisans and Small Businesses) and Force Ouvrière have also exited the negotiations.
The current dialogue is expected to culminate by the end of May 2025. Binet expressed disappointment regarding the lack of concrete outcomes from recent engagements, particularly concerning improvements in wages, working conditions, pensions, or workers' benefits.
