The revaluation of pensions, supposed to appear in an upcoming bill on purchasing power, will have to be "at least 4.5%, with retroactive effect from January 1", demanded nine organizations of retirees on Monday. Emmanuel Macron had announced during the presidential campaign an exceptional revaluation of basic pensions on July 1. Retiree unions are now making their demands known.

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“There is a crying need to have strong signs from the government”, especially “when we see how high the price index is”, underlined Marc Bastide (CGT), during a conference of hurry.

With inflation at 4.8% over one year in April, which could rise further to 5.4% in June according to INSEE, the approximately 17 million French pensioners are seeing their income drop again, after having already lost "more 10%, or one month's pension" since 2014, recalled Patrice Perret (Solidaires). At the end of 2020, the amount of a pension on average was 1,341 euros net, according to the Department of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees).

The hope of a substantial "catch-up" is now hanging on the bill on purchasing power, which the government will present before the legislative elections of June 12 and 19, as its spokeswoman Olivia Grégoire indicated on Monday. . The nine unions and associations of retirees demand an increase "at least 4.5% with retroactive effect from January 1", said Didier Hotte (FO), adding that "if the bill does not reflect the promise of candidate Macron , we will go to the confrontation”.

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