Explainer-Why France keeps fighting over retirement age

By Leigh Thomas

PARIS (Reuters) -Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has once again proved that pension reform is the hottest of hot button political issues in France, pledging to suspend a deeply unpopular 2023 overhaul to save his government from collapse.   

Lecornu promised on Tuesday to put President Emmanuel Macron's flagship reform on ice until after 2027 presidential elections to win a commitment from Socialists not to back votes of no-confidence against him.

Hard-won after weeks of street protests in 2023 and rammed through parliament without a vote, the reform gradually raises the statutory retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030.  

While the reform merely brings France closer in line with other EU countries, it chips away at a cherished social benefit and the legacy of the left, which cut the retirement age to 60 from 65 in 1982 under Socialist President Francois Mitterrand.

HOW DOES FRANCE COMPARE IN EUROPE?

France has one of the lowest statutory retirement ages in the European Union. The bloc's average is 65 for men and 64.5 for women, and both are expected to rise by two years in the coming decades, according to the European Commission's 2024 Ageing Report.

Due to a combination of early retirement and high life expectancy, French retirees spend more time in retirement than most. OECD data shows that French men typically spend 23.3 years retired - more than in any other OECD country and well above Germany's 18.8 years.

ARE FRENCH PENSIONERS BETTER OFF?

French pensions replace a higher share of pre-retirement income than in most countries, and retirees enjoy one of Europe's highest standards of living when all income sources are considered.

However, the largesse comes at a cost. France spends 14.2% of its GDP on pensions - well above the EU average of 11.7%, with only Austria and Italy spending more. Still, this spending helps keep elderly poverty low: just 3.6% of French retirees live in poverty, compared to the OECD average of 12.5%.

DOES EVERYONE BENEFIT?

While the official retirement age is low, actual retirement depends on how long someone has contributed to the system. The required contribution period was supposed to be raised from 42 to 43 years by 2027 under Macron's reform.

This means people who started working late - due to higher education or career breaks - often work beyond 62. Anyone can retire at 67 with a full pension, regardless of contribution length.

The OECD estimates that a French man who began working at 22 years old retires at 64.8 years - slightly above the EU average of 64.5 but below Germany's 65.8. However, many retire earlier than the legal age. In France, the average effective retirement age is just 60.7, compared to the OECD average of 64.4.

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Sharon Singleton)