Emmanuel Macron’s dangerous game

What is Emmanuel Macron playing? The head of state continues to comment on the possibility of reforming the pension system before the end of the five-year period. On Tuesday, the President of the Republic gathered all the social partners. Representatives of employee unions and officials of employers’ organizations spoke to Emmanuel Macron of their complete opposition to such an initiative. If opinions are constrained on the substance, that is, the usefulness of such a reform, then all agree that the time has come badly. As the five-year period enters her homeland and the health crisis has not finally ended, the social partners rightly believe that the priority is to revive the economy and unite the country behind united causes.

The question of extending working hours, and possibly passing the legal age from 62 to 64, will come up during the election campaign that begins. With fighting the deficit no longer a priority in the short term, it will be up to the president-elect in April 2022 – Emmanuel Macron in the case of a second term – to launch such a reform. Doing so now would be like reopening the discord scar. After the crisis of the yellow jackets and Covid, France no longer needs them.

As for social partners, Emmanuel Macron said nothing about his intentions. He missed the opportunity to use the mediating wire to send a message to the French. Obviously, he’d rather talk to them directly next week, possibly July 14th. In any case, it is urgent to put an end to this false suspense that poorly conceals electoral objectives. If the presidential majority in the National Assembly has slowed too far, some of his advisers encourage him, arguing that this may allow him to position himself more than ever on the right. This little game is dangerous, in particular because the deliberately reinforced uncertainty generates fears that add further to the already heavy current climate.