French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has announced the suspension of pension reforms. -AP
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has suspended a landmark 2023 pension reform until after the 2027 presidential election, bowing to pressure from MPs who had demanded such a move to ensure his political survival.
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Lecornu, who is facing an uphill battle to survive at least two no-confidence votes later this week, made the announcement in parliament as part of a last-ditch attempt to forge the conditions for passing a slimmed-down 2026 budget.
The proposal would have raised the retirement age in France from 62 to 64.
Lecornu's decision represents an acknowledgement by French President Emmanuel Macron that mothballing the pension reform - which he considers to be one of his main economic legacies - was the only way to ensure the survival of Lecornu, his sixth prime minister in less than two years.
"I will propose to parliament, starting this autumn, that we suspend the 2023 pension reform until the presidential election," Lecornu told MPs.
"No increase in the retirement age will take place from now until January 2028."
France has been mired in political deadlock since a snap election called by Macron in mid-2024 left no camp with a majority and parliament unable to agree on a deficit-reducing budget.
Lecornu's predecessor, François Bayrou, was ousted over a budget proposal.
