French Government Suspends Pension Reform, Shifts to Parliamentary Compromise
The French government suspends pension reform amid political negotiations and new efforts to address pension inequalities, marking a historic shift towards parliamentary governance.
- • Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu suspended the pension reform until January 2028 to avoid Socialist censure.
- • The decision marks a shift toward parliamentary compromise in the Fifth Republic's governance.
- • Women's pensions average 62% of men's due to career fragmentation and pay inequity.
- • The government plans measures in the 2026 budget to reduce pension disparities for women.
- • Lecornu's concessions indicate a political move away from Emmanuel Macron's reform legacy.
Key details
On October 14, 2025, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the suspension of the controversial pension reform, a decision aimed at averting censure from the Socialist party and marking a significant political shift for the French government. This suspension delays the reform until January 2028 and signals a move away from President Emmanuel Macron’s original vision for his legacy, raising important questions about the future direction of pension policy in France.
Lecornu’s acceptance of several demands from the Socialists represents a broader commitment to parliamentary governance, highlighting a new phase for the Fifth Republic where governing through compromise rather than executive imposition becomes necessary. This development is significant as Lecornu is noted to be the first Prime Minister in recent history who must rely heavily on negotiation amid political imbalances to pass major legislation.
In addition to the suspension, Lecornu emphasized the urgency of addressing pension inequalities between men and women in his general policy statement. Women currently receive pensions averaging only 62% of men's pensions—a disparity stemming from fragmented careers, lower salaries by about 15%, and higher rates of part-time employment. Women make up 70% of minimum pension beneficiaries, revealing their financial vulnerability. The government plans to include measures within the 2026 Social Security budget to improve women’s pensions, proposing rights related to family and spousal benefits to partially offset the disparities.
This sequence of events not only reflects the deep political tensions over pension reform but also introduces a new era of governance focused on parliamentary consensus. While these concessions may limit Macron’s reformist legacy, they underline the government’s adaptability in a complex political landscape and a commitment to addressing social inequalities through policy.
According to France24, the suspension contradicts Macron’s desired reform legacy but was necessary to maintain parliamentary stability. Liberation highlights Lecornu’s strategic concessions as marking "finally parliamentarism" for the Fifth Republic, emphasizing the transition toward compromise-driven governance. Le Figaro details the social dimension, underlining the pressing need to improve women’s pensions as part of the broader social security reforms.