Pensions: Édouard Philippe unveils his reform plan and sets the retirement age at 65

Édouard Philippe, the Horizons party's presidential candidate, unveiled his pension reform plan this week — a politically sensitive issue on which he was especially scrutinized after previously suggesting the retirement age could be set as high as 67.

The plan as presented settles on 65, a threshold lower than what he had initially indicated, but the reform remains focused on achieving budgetary savings, with several measures described as difficult for some workers.

A politically sensitive issue

Pensions remain one of the most delicate subjects in French political life, with previous reform attempts having sparked widespread social unrest. Philippe, who served as prime minister under Emmanuel Macron, had already been associated with pension reform efforts during his time at Matignon.

By staking out his position on this ground ahead of the presidential election, the Horizons candidate is seeking to demonstrate his capacity to lead structural reforms, while attempting to hold together public support from an electorate traditionally reluctant to back measures that extend contribution periods or raise the legal retirement age.

The plan presented this week is likely to generate debate among politicians and civil society alike, in a context where the pensions question continues to divide the French political landscape.