François Bayrou agreed to reopen this explosive file, on condition of not calling into question the budgetary balance. The budget and business bankruptcies will also be on the agenda.
On pensions, François Bayrou is ready to “a discussion without taboo but without preconditions”, assured the Minister of Labor, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, interviewed on Sunday on the France Inter set. A position that the head of government will be able to repeat to each of the employer and union organizations received from Tuesday in Matignon. Patrick Martin, president of Medef, will be the first to open the ball from 9:30 a.m. Marylise Léon, from the CFDT, and François Asselin, president of the Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME), will then come in the afternoon. The other One numbers will be received in the following days.
It is about “first exchanges” with social partners, according to Matignon. François Bayrou wishes “hear their requests” and discuss with them “social news” including “what the prime minister put on the table” on pensions during the meeting of political forces. Tracks recently recalled by Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet: there are “fair and reasonable accommodations”particularly on “drudgery and women’s careers” and on “poly-pensioners”, underlined the Minister of Labor. “We have to go quickly”she added, counting on “three, four months”.
A sign of openness unevenly received by the different actors. The employers are suspicious. Even with the current reform, “the financial balance of pensions will not be sufficient by 2030”, recalls Medef. “We cannot make empty promises in a budgetary context such as that of France”agrees François Asselin. This is why he instead recommends moving forward with capitalization retirement. However, it does not say it is closed “to work on professional wear”. But like the presidents of other employers' organizations, the CPME representative “especially waiting to know more”.
The unions are more divided. If the CFTC sees “a positive gesture” from the Prime Minister – while recalling his opposition to raising the age – the CGT remains sceptical. “We can’t say we’re enthusiastic”confirms Denis Gravouil, member of the confederal office, whose organization is calling for the repeal or at least the suspension of the “Borne reform”.
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Worrying economic climate
Pensions will not be the only topic on the menu. Unions and employers have planned to question the tenant of Matignon on the gloomy economic climate and the worrying surge in bankruptcies. “The feedback from the field is not good, the indicators and the situation are not trending well, while the Trump administration is preparing to come to power in the United States, announcing even keener international competition,” people around Patrick Martin worry. “Investment is slowing down, recruitment is also slowing down… We no longer really know where we are going”alarms Michel Picon, president of the Union of Local Businesses (U2P). A subject on which there is consensus among the social partners. Thursday 2, representatives of several organizations, such as Medef, the metallurgical employers' union (UIMM), the CGT, or the CFE-CGC sent an open letter to the President of the Republic on the Fonderie de Bretagne threatened with closure.
Finally, a few days before the resumption of examination of the 2025 finance bill in the Senate, everyone will try to advance their ideas. The employers will push in favor of a “stability in tax matters and labor costs”. For the unions, on the contrary, “we are clear about the state of the deficit but there is no question that it is up to the employee to pay”estimates Cyril Chabanier, number one at the CFTC. The objective is also to eliminate certain irritants brandished by the previous government, such as the three-day waiting period during sick leave.
