Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu delivers his government policy statement, at the Sénat in Paris, on October 15, 2025. JULIEN MUGUET FOR LE MONDE
To save his government in a politically unstable France, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Tuesday, October 14, agreed to suspend the contentious 2023 pension reform for one year, "until the presidential election" in 2027. The measure had been a demand of the Socialists, whom Lecornu depends on to ensure his government's survival. Hailing it as a "victory," they pledged to, in return, not back the two no-confidence motions that were put to a vote in the Assemblée on Thursday, October 16.
Subscribers only
How France's PM caved on the retirement age to save his government
While a suspension does not mean a repeal, it is nevertheless the first concession that Macron's supporters have made on the reform, which has been strongly contested by opposition parties and labor unions even after it was passed in April 2023. Practically speaking, it would mean pausing the gradual raises of the legal retirement age (from 62 to 64) and of the "contribution period," or, roughly, time spent working.
