France 2027 presidential candidates focus on pensions and senior engagement

As the 2027 French presidential election approaches, candidates are increasingly focusing on pension reform and engaging with diverse voter demographics. Retirement policy remains a central issue, with the pension budget reaching 370 billion euros in 2023, representing 13.1% of France's GDP. While previous attempts at universal point-based systems were stalled by the Covid-19 pandemic, and recent reforms to raise the legal age to 64 have faced political hurdles, Emmanuel Macron has indicated that his successor will likely need to address the sustainability of the system due to an aging population.

To engage with the elderly electorate, a new media format titled ‘A l’Ehpad!’ has been announced. Following the model of the program ‘Au Tableau!’, which featured children questioning politicians, this new series will feature residents of nursing homes asking candidates spontaneous and unfiltered questions. Gabriel Attal and Xavier Bertrand are among the first figures to participate in the program, which aims to place seniors at the center of the democratic process.