Pensions: “The gradual abolition of special schemes is only fair” – Pension reform

Since Tuesday evening, you have been debating the first article of the text, which provides for the extinction of the main special regimes, including those of the RATP and the electricity and gas industries. What is your point of view ?

The positions are very divisive in the Hemicycle on the subject of special regimes. On my side, there is no subject. I am in favor of the gradual abolition of special diets, otherwise we introduce diets, for example, among farmers, people who also work in slaughterhouses and therefore we multiply diets. But that’s not the goal. The pension plan for a bus driver from the Rennes urban area public transport service (Star) is not the same as that of an RATP driver in Paris. We are not targeting the RATP, in particular. There is no reason that all these professions should not benefit from it. It’s only justice. It should be noted that the special diets are not being abolished. It is in fact the new entrants from September 1, 2023 who will not benefit from it.

Currently, the pension system includes nearly forty schemes. Social Security actually finances the pensions of a very large majority of employees in the private sector. Alongside it are the agricultural scheme, the scheme for self-employed workers – where each profession (lawyers, notaries, doctors, pharmacists, dentists, midwives, architects) has its own pension fund – and the schemes for agents in the sector. audience. Strictly speaking, special schemes are those attached to a particular company or public body, or a profession exercised by a limited number of people.

It’s still time to push forward the pay-as-you-go pension system

Why is reform essential? What are the areas for improvement in this text?

The reform is necessary, when we look closely at the demographic issues: we have fewer workers and more retirees. In ten years, the accumulated deficits will represent 150 billion euros. It has to be done. In particular, I intend to push on women’s work, the recognition of voluntary work, the question of the employment of seniors and the end of careers that are too abused, equal pensions between women and men, professional wear and tear… I remains convinced that it is still time to move the pay-as-you-go pension system forward.

Will the pressure from the street weigh on the parliamentary debate in the long term?

I have a lot of respect for the mobilizations in the street which are going very well for the moment. But the debate is in Parliament.