The radical scheme to slash France's public holidays
Macron signed the pension changes into law in April 2023, but his plan provoked street protests, leading Bayrou to declare in January this year that he would renegotiate the policy.
After the talks with unions and employers, however, the prime minister continued with the overall proposal, despite adjusting some details.
The French plan means that most workers born after January 1, 1968, would not receive the pension until they turn 64. In Australia, workers born after January 1, 1957, do not receive the aged pension until they turn 67.
In a sign of the anxiety about debt, Bayou this week urged voters to accept a total freeze in spending – something that requires unpopular cuts to future spending and is rarely achieved in any Western democracy, including Australia.
'The rule is to spend no more in 2026 than in 2025. No less, no more,' he said.
Gross public debt has reached 114 per cent of gross domestic product in France, the third-highest level in the European Union after Greece and Italy. It is 62 per cent in Germany.
Although the next presidential election is not until 2027, Le Pen and the National Rally have seized on the plan to blame Macron for budget cuts and demand tougher migration policies instead.
Le Pen played a key role in removing the previous prime minister, and her National Rally party has the largest bloc in the National Assembly, giving it the capacity to oust Bayrou over the budget if the left-wing parties support the move.
National Rally president Jordan Bardella is positioning himself as the party's candidate for the presidency at the next election, when Macron cannot run due to term limits in the constitution. Le Pen is barred from seeking public office for five years after a court found her and some members of her party guilty in March of misappropriation of funds.
In another challenge for the right-wing party, police raided the National Rally head office on Wednesday over allegations of donation law violations.
The upheaval in France highlights the financial malady for major European nations when their debts deepen but leaders are stymied by political blowback when they attempt to limit spending.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer abandoned plans to scale back welfare spending on July 1 after dozens of his Labour Party backbenchers rebelled against the plans, gutting the projected savings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
41 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Congo, rebel group step closer to permanent ceasefire
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have set a deadline to sign a peace agreement at a ceremony in Doha - a sign of progress as outstanding details are negotiated. Representatives of both sides signed a declaration of principles on Saturday, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, agreeing to an August 18 deadline. The ceremony followed months of Qatari mediation since talks began in April. The United States, which has hosted separate talks between the governments of Congo and Rwanda, has exerted pressure to finalise a durable peace deal in Congo. President Donald Trump has made clear he hopes that will spur Western investment in a country rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. The Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers signed a peace deal in June and met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump had invited Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Washington at the time to sign a package of agreements, potentially including economic deals. The rebel group M23 has controlled eastern Congo's largest city, Goma, since late January - the latest in a series of uprisings - and made gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Rwanda has long denied allegations it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in Congo than it ever previously held. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of Congo's neighbours had troops deployed in eastern Congo when the advance began. Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi told reporters Saturday's declaration "lays the groundwork for a new phase of partnership among the various components of society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - including armed movements that have chosen to prioritise the greater national interest". The declaration was brought about by talks that followed a surprise meeting between Congolese leader Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Kagame, brokered by Qatar in March, during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire. Congo had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group. While denying it has supported M23, Rwanda has said its forces have acted in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations in Doha and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures including the release of M23 members held by Congo and the re-opening of banks in rebel-held territory. The declaration of principles does not resolve those issues, instead committing the parties to "creating the necessary conditions" to eventually do so. It also does not address bigger questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern Congo. It says Congo and M23 agree that state authority should be restored "on all national territories" as part of an eventual peace agreement but does not elaborate. The declaration "takes into account the red lines we have always defended, including the non-negotiable withdrawal" of M23, Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said in a post on X on Saturday. Negotiations for a peace agreement are to start no later than August 8, according to the declaration, which would give the parties less than two weeks to finalise a deal if they stick to their new August 18 deadline. "We are confident and we are hopeful," Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters after Saturday's ceremony in Doha, adding Tshiskedi and Kagame "have both committed to resolving this". The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have set a deadline to sign a peace agreement at a ceremony in Doha - a sign of progress as outstanding details are negotiated. Representatives of both sides signed a declaration of principles on Saturday, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, agreeing to an August 18 deadline. The ceremony followed months of Qatari mediation since talks began in April. The United States, which has hosted separate talks between the governments of Congo and Rwanda, has exerted pressure to finalise a durable peace deal in Congo. President Donald Trump has made clear he hopes that will spur Western investment in a country rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. The Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers signed a peace deal in June and met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump had invited Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Washington at the time to sign a package of agreements, potentially including economic deals. The rebel group M23 has controlled eastern Congo's largest city, Goma, since late January - the latest in a series of uprisings - and made gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Rwanda has long denied allegations it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in Congo than it ever previously held. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of Congo's neighbours had troops deployed in eastern Congo when the advance began. Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi told reporters Saturday's declaration "lays the groundwork for a new phase of partnership among the various components of society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - including armed movements that have chosen to prioritise the greater national interest". The declaration was brought about by talks that followed a surprise meeting between Congolese leader Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Kagame, brokered by Qatar in March, during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire. Congo had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group. While denying it has supported M23, Rwanda has said its forces have acted in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations in Doha and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures including the release of M23 members held by Congo and the re-opening of banks in rebel-held territory. The declaration of principles does not resolve those issues, instead committing the parties to "creating the necessary conditions" to eventually do so. It also does not address bigger questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern Congo. It says Congo and M23 agree that state authority should be restored "on all national territories" as part of an eventual peace agreement but does not elaborate. The declaration "takes into account the red lines we have always defended, including the non-negotiable withdrawal" of M23, Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said in a post on X on Saturday. Negotiations for a peace agreement are to start no later than August 8, according to the declaration, which would give the parties less than two weeks to finalise a deal if they stick to their new August 18 deadline. "We are confident and we are hopeful," Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters after Saturday's ceremony in Doha, adding Tshiskedi and Kagame "have both committed to resolving this". The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have set a deadline to sign a peace agreement at a ceremony in Doha - a sign of progress as outstanding details are negotiated. Representatives of both sides signed a declaration of principles on Saturday, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, agreeing to an August 18 deadline. The ceremony followed months of Qatari mediation since talks began in April. The United States, which has hosted separate talks between the governments of Congo and Rwanda, has exerted pressure to finalise a durable peace deal in Congo. President Donald Trump has made clear he hopes that will spur Western investment in a country rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. The Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers signed a peace deal in June and met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump had invited Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Washington at the time to sign a package of agreements, potentially including economic deals. The rebel group M23 has controlled eastern Congo's largest city, Goma, since late January - the latest in a series of uprisings - and made gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Rwanda has long denied allegations it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in Congo than it ever previously held. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of Congo's neighbours had troops deployed in eastern Congo when the advance began. Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi told reporters Saturday's declaration "lays the groundwork for a new phase of partnership among the various components of society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - including armed movements that have chosen to prioritise the greater national interest". The declaration was brought about by talks that followed a surprise meeting between Congolese leader Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Kagame, brokered by Qatar in March, during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire. Congo had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group. While denying it has supported M23, Rwanda has said its forces have acted in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations in Doha and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures including the release of M23 members held by Congo and the re-opening of banks in rebel-held territory. The declaration of principles does not resolve those issues, instead committing the parties to "creating the necessary conditions" to eventually do so. It also does not address bigger questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern Congo. It says Congo and M23 agree that state authority should be restored "on all national territories" as part of an eventual peace agreement but does not elaborate. The declaration "takes into account the red lines we have always defended, including the non-negotiable withdrawal" of M23, Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said in a post on X on Saturday. Negotiations for a peace agreement are to start no later than August 8, according to the declaration, which would give the parties less than two weeks to finalise a deal if they stick to their new August 18 deadline. "We are confident and we are hopeful," Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters after Saturday's ceremony in Doha, adding Tshiskedi and Kagame "have both committed to resolving this". The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have set a deadline to sign a peace agreement at a ceremony in Doha - a sign of progress as outstanding details are negotiated. Representatives of both sides signed a declaration of principles on Saturday, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, agreeing to an August 18 deadline. The ceremony followed months of Qatari mediation since talks began in April. The United States, which has hosted separate talks between the governments of Congo and Rwanda, has exerted pressure to finalise a durable peace deal in Congo. President Donald Trump has made clear he hopes that will spur Western investment in a country rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. The Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers signed a peace deal in June and met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump had invited Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Washington at the time to sign a package of agreements, potentially including economic deals. The rebel group M23 has controlled eastern Congo's largest city, Goma, since late January - the latest in a series of uprisings - and made gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Rwanda has long denied allegations it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in Congo than it ever previously held. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of Congo's neighbours had troops deployed in eastern Congo when the advance began. Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi told reporters Saturday's declaration "lays the groundwork for a new phase of partnership among the various components of society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - including armed movements that have chosen to prioritise the greater national interest". The declaration was brought about by talks that followed a surprise meeting between Congolese leader Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Kagame, brokered by Qatar in March, during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire. Congo had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group. While denying it has supported M23, Rwanda has said its forces have acted in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations in Doha and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures including the release of M23 members held by Congo and the re-opening of banks in rebel-held territory. The declaration of principles does not resolve those issues, instead committing the parties to "creating the necessary conditions" to eventually do so. It also does not address bigger questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern Congo. It says Congo and M23 agree that state authority should be restored "on all national territories" as part of an eventual peace agreement but does not elaborate. The declaration "takes into account the red lines we have always defended, including the non-negotiable withdrawal" of M23, Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said in a post on X on Saturday. Negotiations for a peace agreement are to start no later than August 8, according to the declaration, which would give the parties less than two weeks to finalise a deal if they stick to their new August 18 deadline. "We are confident and we are hopeful," Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters after Saturday's ceremony in Doha, adding Tshiskedi and Kagame "have both committed to resolving this".
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
Congo, rebel group step closer to permanent ceasefire
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have set a deadline to sign a peace agreement at a ceremony in Doha - a sign of progress as outstanding details are negotiated. Representatives of both sides signed a declaration of principles on Saturday, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, agreeing to an August 18 deadline. The ceremony followed months of Qatari mediation since talks began in April. The United States, which has hosted separate talks between the governments of Congo and Rwanda, has exerted pressure to finalise a durable peace deal in Congo. President Donald Trump has made clear he hopes that will spur Western investment in a country rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. The Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers signed a peace deal in June and met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump had invited Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Washington at the time to sign a package of agreements, potentially including economic deals. The rebel group M23 has controlled eastern Congo's largest city, Goma, since late January - the latest in a series of uprisings - and made gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Rwanda has long denied allegations it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in Congo than it ever previously held. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of Congo's neighbours had troops deployed in eastern Congo when the advance began. Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi told reporters Saturday's declaration "lays the groundwork for a new phase of partnership among the various components of society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - including armed movements that have chosen to prioritise the greater national interest". The declaration was brought about by talks that followed a surprise meeting between Congolese leader Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Kagame, brokered by Qatar in March, during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire. Congo had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group. While denying it has supported M23, Rwanda has said its forces have acted in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations in Doha and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures including the release of M23 members held by Congo and the re-opening of banks in rebel-held territory. The declaration of principles does not resolve those issues, instead committing the parties to "creating the necessary conditions" to eventually do so. It also does not address bigger questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern Congo. It says Congo and M23 agree that state authority should be restored "on all national territories" as part of an eventual peace agreement but does not elaborate. The declaration "takes into account the red lines we have always defended, including the non-negotiable withdrawal" of M23, Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said in a post on X on Saturday. Negotiations for a peace agreement are to start no later than August 8, according to the declaration, which would give the parties less than two weeks to finalise a deal if they stick to their new August 18 deadline. "We are confident and we are hopeful," Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters after Saturday's ceremony in Doha, adding Tshiskedi and Kagame "have both committed to resolving this".
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Reliable': China's big call on Albo trip
Anthony Albanese has landed back in Australia after six days abroad touting Australia's trade and tourism offerings in China. The Prime Minister has been keen to reframe the Australia-China relationship in friendlier terms, steering away from the increasingly militaristic tone to focus on a peaceful coexistence ensured through deeper economic interdependency. 'Overwhelmingly, what we discuss as moving forward is issues of today and tomorrow, rather than the past,' Mr Albanese told reporters on his final day in Chengdu, a major research hub in western China. 'What I speak about is the potential that's there to grow the relationship, to develop further economic ties. Anthony Albanese in Shanghai with fiancé Jodie Haydon and Socceroos great turned Shanghai Port FC coach Kevin Muscat. NewsWire / Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer Credit: News Corp Australia 'We – of course, as I've said repeatedly – we co-operate where we can, we disagree where we must, but we don't want those disagreements to define our relationship either. 'So what we do is talk about how we can co-operate further in the future.' His message has gone down well in Beijing, with Chinese state media eagerly lapping up every photo op and flattering remark Mr Albanese made. Mr Albanese's message has seemingly gone down well with Beijing. Supplied/PMO Credit: Supplied Chinese state media had only good things to say after the two leaders met. Supplied/PMO Credit: Supplied The Global Times is a leading English-language propaganda mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Doing its best to imitate a Western-style publication, it is often used to circulate the CCP's various pet peeves and routinely takes scathing shots at Australia. But the Chinese government tabloid has had only good things to say after Mr Albanese met with Xi Jinping and other party top brass in the middle of the trip. 'The most important insight this gives us is that treating each other as equals, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and engaging in mutually beneficial co-operation serve the fundamental interests of both China and Australia and the two peoples,' it cited the Chinese President as saying in his remarks at the top of the big meet — a striking similarity to Mr Albanese's own words. (L-R) Mr Albanese with Tourism Australia's Robin Mack, vice president Edison Chen, and CEO Jane Sun. Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia More tellingly, it summed up the state visit as a revival of 'Australia's independent China policy', speaking to the elephant in the room. Donald Trump has made clear China is the main game when it comes to the foreign policy focus of his second administration. Its exploding middle class and relentless growth is evidence of an economic model that could rival the US. Similarly, China's rapid expansion of its nuclear and conventional arsenals has raised questions about how it might use its might, sparking warnings from Washington that Mr Xi is eyeing an invasion of Taiwan. It is with that concern that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded the Albanese government hike Australia's defence spending to at least 3.5 per cent — a request Mr Albanese has rejected even as his deputy and defence minister, Richard Marles, said China's military build-up is driving 'security anxiety' in Canberra. Brushing off the Trump administration's warnings as needless warmongering, the resistance to the US defence demand has not gone unnoticed in Beijing, which has eagerly seized on global trade uncertainty driven by tariffs. In an opinion piece on Thursday, the Global Times said Mr Albanese's 'trip has come at a time of global turmoil instigated by the US'. 'The prime minister's critics are accusing him of prioritising the China relationship over the US relationship, but this is a misrepresentation,' it read. 'The simple reality is that China is a reliable partner.' The piece went on to say 'Australia's relationship with the US has deteriorated' due to tariffs imposed 'despite Australia being the US' most reliable ally'. Mr Albanese met with China's President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Source - PMO Credit: Supplied Mr Albanese visits The Great Wall of China with his fiance Jodie Haydon. NewsWire / Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer Credit: NewsWire 'The contrast between China's steady reliability and the US' erratic demands is being noticed by the Australian people – opinion polls in Australia show falling confidence in the US and rising confidence in China,' it claimed. Throughout the trip, Mr Albanese has leaned heavily on his mantra of co-operating with China where possible and disagreeing where necessary, making clear chasmic differences remain between Canberra and Beijing. But his messaging from the glitz of central Shanghai, to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and the panda breeding capital of Chengdu, is that peace through trade and people-to-people ties are the best ways to navigate the challenges in the relationship. It is not a new approach — the EU took it with post-Soviet Russia and was blindsided after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Whether Mr Albanese's China push will make Australia vulnerable down the line will be a matter for future generations.
