December 2019

30Dec

France. Macron forced to step in to defuse crisis over pension changes

Emmanuel Macron will be forced to speak out on France’s ongoing pensions strike in his televised new year address on Tuesday as transport stoppages look likely to continue into a fifth week, causing major disruption over the holiday period and into January. Read also On Day 29, French rail strike makes history The centrist French president, who made overhauling the country’s pensions system a key election pledge, has until now refrained from intervening personally, leaving his prime minister, Edouard Philippe,...

December 30, 2019
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December 2019

26Dec

Unmerry Christmas as French transport strike enters fourth week

Christmas Day brought no respite for travellers in France as a transport strike entered its fourth week, ruining the plans of thousands to share a traditional meal and quality time with loved ones. Many scrambled at the last minute to make alternative arrangements as the protest against pension reform saw thousands of trains cancelled or delayed -- and taxis, ride-sharing services and car rental agencies unable to make up the shortfall. Only a fraction of high-speed and inter-city trains ran...

December 26, 2019
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24Dec

Macron’s popularity slightly down as pension strikes gather pace

A poll released on Monday showed French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity suffered a slight slowdown in December when anti-pension reform protests and strikes were gathering pace. Figures from Odoxa pollster showed that Macron's dissatisfaction rating rose to 67 percent in December, from 65 percent a month earlier. "This ...is indeed small in view of the (social) anger and the support which the opponents of the pension reform still enjoy," said Gael Sliman, Odoxa's director. Macron proposes to replace the...

December 24, 2019
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23Dec

President Macron confirms he will not take his pension

French President Emmanuel Macron will not take his future president’s pension, it has been confirmed, as protests against pension reform continue across France. As head of state, Mr Macron would have had an automatic right to take a pension equivalent to the salary of a state advisor at the end of his final term. This would have been €6,220 gross per month for life, under article 19 of a 1955 law. This pension is neither affected by the length...

December 23, 2019
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20Dec

Government-union pension talks fail in France, strikes to continue

The French government and labor unions ended talks on pension reform on Thursday afternoon without reaching a deal to break the deadlock. Philippe Martinez, leader of the hardline CGT union, told the press after the talks that "the prime minister hasn't heard what the street is saying." Five out of the eight unions called for further actions and a cross-sector demonstrations on Jan. 9, he added. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said new roundtable discussions will be held on the...

December 20, 2019
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19Dec

French unions meet government as pension strikes continue

The French government and unions are to face-off over controversial pension reforms, 14 days into a crippling transport strike that has damaged businesses, frustrated commuters and cast a shadow over holiday plans. After hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets on Tuesday, both sides stood firm prior to a series of meetings. Government officials have previously said they were ready to negotiate. Union leaders have vowed to continue their action into the new year as the government...

December 19, 2019
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18Dec

French government names new pensions boss

The French government has appointed Laurent Pietraszewski to replace former high commissioner on pensions, Jean-Paul Delevoye, who resigned on Monday following a conflict of interest scandal. Pietraszewski, a member of parliament from France’s Nord (North) department and spokesman for the ruling Republic on the Move group in the National Assembly, was named secretary of state to the ministry of social security and health, in charge of pensions, according to a decree published early Wednesday by the government. The new...

December 18, 2019
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17Dec

Macron’s ‘Mister Pensions’ resigns amid transparency scandal as strikes continue

As massive strikes over pension reform in France continue for a 12th day – with unions livid, for one, that workers under the revamp would have to work until age 64 to retire without penalty – one key player is already out of a job: The father of the reform, Jean-Paul Delevoye, stepped down Monday under the glare of a transparency scandal. Delevoye, the High Commissioner for Pensions, handed in his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who accepted...

December 17, 2019
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16Dec

French business activity stable in Dec despite pension strike – PMI

French business grew at a steady pace in December despite a nationwide strike against pension reform, although activity in the manufacturing sector came unexpectedly close to stagnating, a survey showed on Monday. Data compiler IHS Markit said that its preliminary monthly purchasing managers index fell marginally to 52.0 from 52.1 in November, in line with economists' expectations in a Reuters poll. Though a three-month low, the result was comfortably above the 50-point level demarcating expansions in activity from contractions....

December 16, 2019
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12Dec

French Prime Minister Unveils Pension Plan As Strike Continues To Paralyze Paris

Strikes and protests have clogged the streets of Paris and elsewhere in France since last Thursday. Now there's a turning point: the government has unveiled its plan to reform the French retirement system. The plan calls for a shift from 42 distinct pension plans according to job and region into one universal scheme. The new system will be based on points, on the principle of giving each pensioner the same rights for each euro they pay into it. Those...

December 12, 2019
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