PARIS (AP) \u2014 France\u2019s prime minister insisted Sunday that the government\u2019s plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 is \u201cno longer negotiable,\u201d further angering parliamentary opponents and unions who plan new mass protests and disruptive strikes this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raising the pension age is one part of a broad bill that is\u00a0the flagship measure of President Emmanuel Macron\u2019s second term. The bill is meeting widespread popular resistance \u2014\u00a0more than 1 million people\u00a0marched against it earlier this month \u2014 and misunderstanding about what it will mean for today\u2019s French workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an interview with France-Info radio broadcast Sunday, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the age \u201cis no longer negotiable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retirement at 64 and a lengthening of the number of years needed to earn a full pension \u201cis the compromise that we proposed after having heard employers\u2019 organizations and unions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A union-led online petition against the retirement plan saw a surge in new signatures after Borne\u2019s comments. France\u2019s eight leading unions are in discussions Sunday about a joint response to her remarks, according to officials with the FO and CFDT unions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawmaker Manuel Bompard, whose France Unbowed party is leading the parliamentary push against the reform, called for \u201cthe biggest possible\u201d turnout for upcoming strikes and protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have to be in the streets Tuesday,\u201d he said on BFM television Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government says the reform is necessary to keep the pension system solvent as France\u2019s\u00a0life expectancy has grown\u00a0and birth rates have declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur aim is to ensure that in 2030 we have a system that\u2019s financially balanced,\u201d Borne said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unions and left-wing parties want big companies or wealthier households to pitch in more to balance the pension budget instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Borne suggested openness to adjustments on how the reform addresses time that people take out of their careers to bear children or pursue education. The plan\u2019s critics say women are unfairly targeted; Borne disagreed, but said, \u201cWe are in the process of analyzing the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bill goes to a parliamentary commission on Monday, and to a full debate in the National Assembly on Feb. 6. Opponents have submitted 7,000 proposed amendments that will further complicate the debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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