RN calls on unions to support its pension repeal law

04 October 2024 / Interviews

On October 31, the National Rally (RN) parliamentary group will present a bill to the National Assembly aimed at repealing the pension reform adopted in 2023. This initiative is part of the RN's "parliamentary niche", a day during which the group led by Marine Le Pen will be able to submit texts for debate. However, despite its 126 deputies, the RN is aware that it will be difficult to obtain the support of other political groups, even those who opposed the reform.

Faced with this reality, the RN has decided to seek the support of the unions. Thomas Ménagé, RN MP for Loiret, sent a letter to all the unions that mobilized against the reform in 2023, including the CGT, FO, CFDT and CFTC. The content of this letter, which Le Parisien was able to consult, invites the unions to support, "by all possible means", the RN's bill aimed at repealing the reform.

A call for unity against an unpopular reform

In his letter, Thomas Ménagé highlights the massive rejection of the reform among the French population, evoking a social "trauma" and recalling that "two thirds of French people were opposed to it". He insists on the negative consequences of this reform for workers close to retirement, and calls on unions not to let "political motives" prevent them from defending the interests of their members.

The RN thus proposes to return to a legal retirement age of 62 and a contribution period of 42 years for the general scheme. The text also provides for early retirement at 60 for long careers that began before the age of 20.

An attempt at social dialogue before a possible takeover

Despite the historical tensions between the RN and the unions, Thomas Ménagé says he wants to establish a social dialogue: "We might as well start working together now, if in a year or more, we come to power," he told Le Parisien. He thus hopes that the unions will not miss "the boat of October 31."

However, this opening seems unlikely. To date, the RN has received no response from the trade unions, and relations between the two camps remain tense. Historically, the unions have seen the RN's nationalist demands, such as "national priority", as a threat to solidarity between workers, a central principle of their commitment.

The specter of the 2022 presidential elections

This is not the first time that the RN has tried to court the unions. During the second round of the 2022 presidential election, Marine Le Pen tried to present herself as a defender of social dialogue, in opposition to Emmanuel Macron, accused of having "killed" it. Nevertheless, the majority of unions had called for a vote against the far right, some explicitly supporting Macron.

The context of 2023 has also exacerbated this opposition. Several unions had strongly criticized the RN, going so far as to advise it not to participate in the demonstrations against the pension reform. Marine Le Pen then responded by stating that her party did not care about their "doubement", considering itself legitimate because "elected by the French". These mutual attacks show that the gap remains wide between the RN and the unions, even if the party is once again trying to open a door to collaboration.

October 31 will therefore be a decisive day, although the chances of the unions aligning themselves with Marine Le Pen's proposal seem slim.