Retirement: Reform Postponed Until 2028

The Political Context

On October 14, 2025, Sébastien Lecornu surprised his audience at the National Assembly. The head of the government announced the suspension of the pension reform adopted in 2023, postponing its implementation to January 1, 2028, which is after the next presidential election. Officially, this pause aims to « reopen social dialogue » and « revise the implementation schedule in an uncertain economic context. » However, behind the conciliatory rhetoric lies a reality: the reform, a cornerstone of Emmanuel Macron's second term, has never achieved social acceptance.

In practical terms, this suspension means the legal retirement age remains set at 62 years and 9 months

The number of quarters required for a full pension rate remains at 170—the conditions applicable to the 1963 generation. In other words, the following generations (1964 to 1967) are temporarily still under the old system. This freeze doesn't equate to a cancellation; the reform remains legally in effect, but its application is postponed by three years. This period, according to the government, is intended to « clarify the implementation methods and ensure intergenerational equity."

The Social and Technical Implications

The freeze on the reform also suspends several technical measures scheduled for 2024. The parental bonus, intended to offset the increase in the retirement age for women who have had children, was set to apply starting with the 1964 generation. Its suspension seems logical: with the legal retirement age temporarily fixed, the bonus is also on hold. The same logic applies to the long careers provision, which allows early retirement for those who started working young. The retirement age for these individuals remains set at 60 years and 3 months, pending the resumption of the initial timeline.