French presidential candidates clash over pension reform proposals

As candidates for the 2027 French presidential election outline their platforms, pension reform has emerged as a central and polarizing issue.

Olivier Faure, First Secretary of the Socialist Party, has called for the immediate repeal of the Borne reform, which raised the legal retirement age to 64. Faure proposes returning the retirement age to 62 and suggests implementing an ‘AI dividend’ to help fund social security, arguing that companies should pay for the loss of social contributions when artificial intelligence replaces human workers. He also advocates for earlier retirement options for women who lack the required number of quarters.

In contrast, former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has proposed a plan that sets the legal retirement age at 65 with 45 years of contributions, though he notes that one-third of French citizens would be able to retire earlier. This proposal faces significant public opposition; polling indicates that 71% of surveyed citizens wish to return to previous retirement ages or oppose any further increases. Following the announcement of his plan, Philippe’s popularity has seen a decline, dropping to 27% in recent polling.