On Monday, October 20, the trade union alliance called on members of parliament to “eliminate the austerity measures” included in the draft 2026 state budget, which is now under review in the National Assembly. They stated that the suspension of the pension reform is only a “first step forward”.
“The budget presented by the government still places the bulk of the burden on the working world,” wrote the main trade union confederations in a statement, referring to it as “an austerity budget with unacceptable measures for the population”.
“With the abandonment of Article 49.3, the adoption of all these measures will now depend on the members of parliament,” they emphasized. They are asking them “to remove the announced austerity measures and to develop a budget for social and fiscal justice that guarantees a high level of social protection, strengthened public services, and investments towards a just and high-level ecological and industrial transition”.
Following the announcement of the pension reform’s suspension, some trade unions hailed it as “a real victory for workers” while others were more cautious.
On Monday, the trade union confederations demonstrated their unity by issuing a joint statement calling on “workers and their unions to maintain pressure and their demands through actions in companies, services, and public administrations”. The confederations “have already agreed to meet again very quickly”.
Regarding the pension reform, the unions “welcome this first step forward after long months of united mobilizations”. However, they warn that “the technical details for implementing this suspension still need to be clarified, just as they must be adopted by Parliament”.
Pensions Under Debate
The government plans to suspend the pension reform via an amendment to the draft social security funding bill. Examination of this bill begins on Tuesday in the National Assembly’s Social Affairs Committee, following the review of the state budget which starts on Monday.