Gérard Larcher wants “neither suspension nor repeal”

While the Prime Minister, François Bayrou, will deliver his general policy declaration on Tuesday and could make a gesture towards the left on pension reform, the right is increasing pressure on the centrist. The President of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, declared that he did not want « neither suspension nor abrogation » of pension reform, in an interview with Parisianpublished Saturday January 11 evening.

“The message is clear: neither suspension nor repeal! On Tuesday, the Prime Minister will make the choice. In the Senate, I will not conduct a suspension or repeal procedure”declared the leader of the Republicans (LR), who warned: « Participation [au gouvernement] does not mean renunciation. »

“If we repealed the pension reform, the cost would be 3.4 billion euros in 2025, and almost 16 billion in 2032”argues Mr. Larcher, based on Retirement Insurance estimates. The president of the socialist group in the Senate, Patrick Kanner, estimated that freezing the reform for six months would cost “between 2 and 3 billion euros”which could be drawn from the Retirement Reserve Fund.

“Things that the right will not give up”

“I trust the Prime Minister. That he is open and that he dialogues with the left, I have no problem with that. Quite simply, on the sovereign and on the budget, there are things that the right will not give up”warns the senator from Yvelines.

Gérard Larcher says he expects Mr. Bayrou’s general policy declaration “a line, a course and commitments”and, regarding the budget, “that we continue to reduce the deficit and public spending with concrete actions, particularly on state agencies and simplification” – he cites in particular the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe) and its “more than 4 billion budget”. “We ask that there be no additional taxation beyond what had already been debated in the Senate, namely the surtax on large businesses and the taxation of higher incomes”he adds on behalf of the right-wing party.

Interviewed on France 2 on Saturday morning on a possible suspension of the pension reform, government spokesperson Sophie Primas, also from the ranks of LR, said “that today everything [était] on the table ». “All requests have been heard”more “we must find the path which allows us not to degrade public finances and even to improve them”she said.

“The Prime Minister will decide this weekend and will announce this in the general discussion”she clarified regarding a possible adjustment to the postponement of the legal age of departure to 64 years. But, speaking “personally”M^me Primas said a break seemed “extremely difficult”. “To take a break, we need a legislative act, we will waste time”she observed.

Furthermore, when asked about the introduction of proportional voting, Mr. Larcher did not say “not naturally inclined”but proposes to open the debate “on proportional representation in certain departments provided that the link between deputy and territory is safeguarded”by once again allowing parliamentarians to have in addition a local executive mandate, “mayor for example”.