France to enforce pension reform law on Sep. 1

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) - France's Labor Minister confirmed on Tuesday that the pension reform law will go into effect on Sept 1.

"I confirm that the law will enter into force (on Sep. 1)," Olivier Dussopt told broadcaster CNEWS when asked about the widely contested pension reform plan signed and promulgated on April 15 in the Official Journal.

Trade unions are planning a new round of nationwide strikes and protests on May 1, as they have been doing intermittently since January.

President Emmanuel Macron signed the bill late on April 14 after the Constitutional Council completed its review, despite trade union demands to drop the measure that has triggered weeks of protests.

The nine "sages," as they are known in France, partially approved the bill while rejecting six of its measures, including those regarding senior workers.

The law will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, requiring at least 43 years of work to be eligible for a full pension, with workers and trade unions among others vehemently opposing it.

The government unveiled the reform proposal in January and it was taken up for parliamentary debate the following month even as millions took to the streets to oppose it.

Unrest intensified when Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, after consulting with Macron, decided to use special constitutional powers to adopt the bill without parliamentary approval in March.

The decision was driven by fear that lawmakers would be able to block the reforms as the government lacked an absolute majority in the parliament.