Sarkozy meets unions in bid to raise retirement age

All of the major French dailies lead with the Government’s plans to raise the age of retirement which currently stands at 60. Trade Unions and the Socialist Party are divided on how to respond to the proposed reforms.

Aujourd’hui en France says raising the retirement age is now a matter of some urgency with state coffers at an all-time low and the national deficit spiraling.

Le Figaro calls it “un bras de fer” or an “arm-wrestle” between Sarkozy and the unions. The right-leaning paper says the President is ready for a ‘tough battle’ on this issue. Looking at retirement across Europe, le Figaro says the aim is to coordinate the retirement age at 67. This is already the case in countries such as Denmark and Germany. In Spain the retirement age is 65 with plans to bring it up to 67 which in the UK, it currently stands at 65 with plans to raise it to 68.

Libération says that the left is divided on the issue. The Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry recently said it was time to raise the age of retirement to 61 or 62 but there is widespread disagreement in the party over her statement.

Other stories in today’s French papers:

Libération: “Injustice” (editorial)

La Croix: The rising costs of caring for the elderly

Aujourd’hui en France: The baker who was fined for beeping his horn

By James CREEDON