'You're bleeding us dry': Why France's pensioners are furious with Macron
Pensioners across France are set to protest on Thursday in towns and cities across France. Their anger has been directed at President Emmanuel Macron and this week some of them let him know in person.
France's elderly population will march through the streets in towns and cities across the country on Thursday in anger at a move by the government they claim is hitting them hard in the pocket.
Pensioners were the main losers of President Emmanuel Macron's first budget mainly due to the 1.7 percentage point hike in the CSG social charge - a levy deducted from salaries and pensions that goes towards paying for France's social security system.
Only those with an income of less than €1,289 a month were exempt. So most pensioners are paying around €25 more a month, or hundreds of euros more a year.
Many say the drop in their income has left them living on the breadline.
"We're not the gilded generation," said Michel Salingue of the FGR-FP union, adding that the average monthly French pension stood at 1,300 euros ($1,600).
"We've contributed more than our share already," he told AFP.
While the rise in the CSG levy affected all earners, pensions did not benefit from the cuts to other social contributions that resulted in a small rise in most workers' salaries this year.
On a visit to the central city of Tours on Wednesday several pensioners accosted the president to make their anger known.
"You are really bleeding us dry and we have worked all our lives," one woman told him.
Macron, never one to shy away from an argument with members of the public, tried to explain the budget reform.
"We are not bleeding you dry. We have lowered employee contributions by 30 percent so that working people can pay for your pensions," he responded.
"Your generation retired at the same age as your parents but with a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years more. I have to take that into account," he said.
But on Thursday thousands who don't accept Macron's argument will take to the streets in the hope of having their anger heard.
A retired person's pension is not a social allowance or a variable adjustment it is aright that has been earned through work," said a union spokesman.
Jean-Claude Mailly head of the leftist Force Ouvrière union said: "The President speaks of inter-generational solidarity, but it is not about that. Inter-generational solidarity is the workers that contribute to pay the pensions of retirees and acquire rights for their retirement. Here there is a real loss of purchasing power, " he said.
"When you touch around €1,200 euros per month, the loss of €25 is a lot. It's normal that they are angry," he added, adding that pensioners were not wealthy.
But Macron has shown that up until he has not backed down from his reforms under the pressure of street protests. So while the country's pensioners will get a chance to express their anger on Thursday. It is unlikely they will convince Macron to change tack.
Comments
See Also
France's elderly population will march through the streets in towns and cities across the country on Thursday in anger at a move by the government they claim is hitting them hard in the pocket.
Pensioners were the main losers of President Emmanuel Macron's first budget mainly due to the 1.7 percentage point hike in the CSG social charge - a levy deducted from salaries and pensions that goes towards paying for France's social security system.
Only those with an income of less than €1,289 a month were exempt. So most pensioners are paying around €25 more a month, or hundreds of euros more a year.
Many say the drop in their income has left them living on the breadline.
"We're not the gilded generation," said Michel Salingue of the FGR-FP union, adding that the average monthly French pension stood at 1,300 euros ($1,600).
"We've contributed more than our share already," he told AFP.
While the rise in the CSG levy affected all earners, pensions did not benefit from the cuts to other social contributions that resulted in a small rise in most workers' salaries this year.
On a visit to the central city of Tours on Wednesday several pensioners accosted the president to make their anger known.
"You are really bleeding us dry and we have worked all our lives," one woman told him.
Macron, never one to shy away from an argument with members of the public, tried to explain the budget reform.
"We are not bleeding you dry. We have lowered employee contributions by 30 percent so that working people can pay for your pensions," he responded.
"Your generation retired at the same age as your parents but with a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years more. I have to take that into account," he said.
But on Thursday thousands who don't accept Macron's argument will take to the streets in the hope of having their anger heard.
A retired person's pension is not a social allowance or a variable adjustment it is aright that has been earned through work," said a union spokesman.
Jean-Claude Mailly head of the leftist Force Ouvrière union said: "The President speaks of inter-generational solidarity, but it is not about that. Inter-generational solidarity is the workers that contribute to pay the pensions of retirees and acquire rights for their retirement. Here there is a real loss of purchasing power, " he said.
"When you touch around €1,200 euros per month, the loss of €25 is a lot. It's normal that they are angry," he added, adding that pensioners were not wealthy.
But Macron has shown that up until he has not backed down from his reforms under the pressure of street protests. So while the country's pensioners will get a chance to express their anger on Thursday. It is unlikely they will convince Macron to change tack.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.