How big of a deal is two years? This is the question that piques the interest of the world regarding the ongoing protests in France.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently passed a motion that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64. The bill would significantly cut governmental pension costs by a significant amount. What is strange about this situation? There was no threat to bankruptcy for the French pension system, so why need it in the first place?
The bill has been widely unpopular, but some government officials have been trying to pass it for years. The majority never voted to pass it, but due to a loophole in the French constitution, Macron was able to pass the law without a vote.
France is a welfare state, all of the citizens accept extremely high tax rates of up to 45% in exchange for pension security.
France is a welfare state, all of the citizens accept extremely high tax rates of up to 45% in exchange for pension security. Essentially, they are keeping some of their tax money for later in life. The French people make sacrifices so that they can enjoy their lives when they are older. “The French way” is to start your working career early, and retire when your body is still capable of doing things such as traveling. Many people have given up freedoms in their early adulthood to work, and this is the premise of the people’s outrage. The disconnect between the governing body and the citizens is what angers many French.
They feel as though their voices are not being heard, and the series of riots and protests over the course of the month is just a preview of their pent-up anger. The people are protesting for the heart and soul of France. The majority of the French workforce consists of blue-collar workers, who work long and hard hours in difficult conditions. Public service workers, textile workers, and other blue-collar workers normally have a shorter life expectancy than others, and they tend to start their careers much earlier as well. The two years that these people have lost could have been the difference to them.
He does not care about the French people. He is reforming France against her will.
From an American perspective, it is quite tricky to interpret the situation. The median retirement age for people in the U.S. is 67-70. Most people work for almost the entirety of their lives. I believe that the two-year bump is not such a big deal on both sides of the conflict. Two years isn’t enough time to stop bankruptcy, and it also isn’t that much more time to work.
I see this whole situation as a power play. Emmanuel Macron is showing his true colors by passing this bill, even after his recent re-election.
He does not care about the French people. He is reforming France against her will.
