France considers pension freezes for wealthy retirees to cut deficit

The French government is considering fiscal measures to reduce the national deficit, which is approaching 120% of the GDP. One proposed strategy involves a partial freeze or sub-indexation of pensions for wealthier retirees to generate up to 6 billion euros in savings.

Discussions suggest that pensions exceeding a threshold of approximately 3,000 euros gross per month could be targeted. This measure would not be a general freeze for all seniors but would instead aim to protect the purchasing power of lower-income pensioners. If the 3,000-euro threshold is implemented, it could affect roughly 1.4 million people.

While the government aims to stabilize public finances under pressure from the European Commission, specific details regarding the exact income thresholds and the final framework for the 2026 and 2027 budgets remain unconfirmed. The measure would essentially involve not applying inflation-based increases to certain pensions, leading to a gradual decline in real purchasing power for those affected.