Retiree Charles Consigny voices dissatisfaction at age 70, stating that the current system is failing.
Denmark is set to incrementally increase its retirement age from the current 68 to 70 by 2040, with the aim of securing financial protection for future generations. This decision, made by the Danish Ministry of Employment, has stirred discussions among French policy analysts, with Charles Consigny, a columnist for RMC, expressing support for the move.
Consigny believes that the current system of substantial pensions given to able-bodied retirees lacking productive pursuits is not sustainable. He argues that such a system would eventually lead to an unsustainable tax burden on the working populace, and that eventually, retirement systems may collapse under the weight of such obligations.
This perspective comes in the wake of France's recent pension reform, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64, a change that was met with widespread protests and strikes. The new minimum retirement age in France is 64 for individuals born after 1960, whereas those born earlier could retire at 62. In comparison, Denmark's planned retirement age increase to 70 by 2040 would mark the highest retirement age in Europe, surpassing the evolving retirement age trend across Europe, where retirement ages are projected to climb up to the mid-60s or beyond by 2060.
However, there has been no explicit commitment from the French government regarding further increases in the retirement age similar to Denmark's plan. The ongoing implementation and management of the recently implemented reform are priorities for the government, while domestic opposition to the changes remains strong.
Flora Ghebali, another RMC columnist, voices concern over the low purchasing power of the French public and queries the benefits of increased labor beyond improving purchasing power when working conditions, particularly in physically demanding industries, leave much to be desired.
Danish authorities plan to gradually phase in the retirement age increase, with it reaching 68 in 2030, 69 in 2035, and 70 in 2040, for individuals born after December 31, 1970 – those who will be 69 in 2040. The French government remains focused on managing the recently passed pension reforms, while ongoing debates and opposition suggest that further increase in the retirement age may be politically sensitive at present.
- Charles Consigny, a columnist for RMC, has expressed support for Denmark's plan to increase its retirement age, citing France's struggling pension system as an example of the unsustainability of current retirement models.
- The label "unsustainable" has been applied by Consigny to the system of substantial pensions given to able-bodied retirees, arguing that it would eventually lead to a burdensome tax burden and eventual collapse of retirement systems.
- The 'Health-and-Wellness' sector could potentially benefit from a gradual increase in the retirement age, as it could encourage elderly individuals to maintain active, productive lives.
- In light of Denmark's plan, the politics surrounding retirement age increases have become a topic of 'General-News', with the French government favoring the management of recently passed reforms, and domestic opposition potentially making further increases sensitive.
