France’s prime minister, François Bayrou, has proposed scrapping two public holidays as part of radical measures aimed at reducing the country’s ballooning deficit, boosting its economy and preventing it being “crushed” by debt.
Outlining the 2026 budget on Tuesday, Bayrou suggested Easter Monday and 8 May, when France commemorates Victory Day, marking the end of the second world war, although he said he was open to other options.
The centrist prime minister said: “The entire nation has to work more so that the activity of the country as a whole increases, and so that France’s situation improves. Everyone will have to contribute to the effort.”
France is under pressure to bring its public deficit, running at 5.8% of GDP, under the 3% figure required by EU rules, and to rein in €3.3tn of public debt – on which the annual interest, of €60bn, could soon become its biggest budget outlay.
incentives for what? to pay taxes? are you implying that pension should go back to be a big scam on society?
the solution is certainly not to abolish the pension system. nobody wants to work when they can barely anymore, and this is not frostpunk or something to justify that.
of course, the money could go to wherever else to increase efficiency, or whatever. but hopefully the goal is not to make the most efficient society, where the “uncapable” (and also the non-exploitable-anymore) are left to suffer and die, but the most human society. otherwise we could just defund healthcare, all kinds of aids too, because they are just taking away resources from The Capables, right?
No, rather, a new solution must be found. Because the demographic pyramids have been inverted, which has made pensions a problem for government finances.
We have time to maneuver, but if this isn’t resolved, we’ll reach the point where we’ll prioritize the Capable and leave the Incapable to chance.